


White Lines, Euphoric Highs and Trying Times

by shellyjohnscns



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: 90s, Abuse, Alcoholism, Cheating, Drug Use, F/M, Loosely based on Euphoria, Sexual Assault, Sexual Content, TW:, parentdale
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:53:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 45,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21749326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shellyjohnscns/pseuds/shellyjohnscns
Summary: September 1991, school, sex, drinking, drugs, being the new kid, parties, death, pregnancy scares, homophobia, STD’s, sports, fashion, parents, fights, abuse, cheating, just some of the turbulent challenges any regular teen faces in the quiet New Hampshire town of Riverdale.Follow the lives of Alice Smith, FP Jones, Fred Andrews, Hermione Gomez, Hiram Lodge, Mary Maiden, Hal Cooper, Sierra Samuels and Tom Keller as they navigate it all.
Relationships: Alice Cooper & Hermione Lodge, Alice Cooper & Hermione Lodge & Mary Andrews & Sierra McCoy, Alice Cooper & Mary Andrews, Alice Cooper/FP Jones II, Alice Cooper/Hal Cooper, Fred Andrews & FP Jones II, Fred Andrews & FP Jones II & Tom Keller, Fred Andrews & Hermione Lodge, Fred Andrews/Hermione Lodge, Hermione Lodge & Sierra McCoy, Hermione Lodge/Hiram Lodge, Tom Keller/Sierra McCoy
Comments: 10
Kudos: 17





	1. Chapter 1

August 30th, 1991.

The beautiful and fruitful bursting atmosphere was simmering down and nature was becoming more quiet and less present. Summer was slowly but surely coming to end, a much pleasing revelation to 16, soon to be 17 year old FP Jones, whose summer wasn’t exactly filled with joy and pleasing memories.

A few fist fights here and there, a minor arrest, a permanent suspension and the death of a father he barely knew all landed him here; in the passengers seat of his mothers truck, fleeing the harsh, depraved and derelict environment of Centreville for a fresh start.

The cool summer breeze hit his perfectly chiseled and freshly shaven face as he leaned out of the front window, taking in the slightly familiar sights of the forgotten town his mother grew up in, Riverdale.

It was familiar to him as he too had spent the first three years of his life in this seemingly peaceful suburban town. 

Being used to the city life, he wasn’t quite sure how he’d settle in. He was used to traffic lights and jaywalking, rats and pigeons scurrying around the pavement, constant car horn honking and swearing on the streets, not evergreen fields of grass, polite neighbours walking around and greeting him and communal town activities.

“Whole lotta fields.” He quietly points out, gaining his mothers attention.

She nods, still keeping her eyes on the road. “You used to love running around in them when you were a baby.” She says, quietly reminiscing on an infant FP joyously running around and enjoying nature. 

He was always very adventurous and curious in that way, he loved the outdoors and always found it hard to keep him inside. He’d spent more time digging up bugs and jumping into leaves rather than playing video games and with actions figures like other kids his age, but he always did like to stand out and do his own thing.

He chuckles softly, knowing his mother is happily playing those images over in her head. “Well things change Mom, people change.” He states bluntly. 

He catches her face remain stoic at the corner of his eye as she turns the corner into what looked to be a trailer park, his suspicions proved to be correct when his eyes landed on a giant red and yellow sign with a rising sun on it. Welcome to Sunnyside trailer park. It was right there in big bold bright yellow writing, all block letters, a nice welcome to any of the neighbourhoods new faces.

Fiona drove their truck through the baked, dry and sandy dirt road the trailers were lined up on. Just entering the very environment in which she grew up, had her first kiss, met her first love, got married raised many mixed that erupted feelings within her. She had history here, and many memories. Some brought out the immense joy in her, leading to a warm feeling of butterflies floating in her stomach and a beaming smile so wide you could see it from behind, while some made her shudder to her core, leaving constant chills up her spine and goosebumps all over. She had done a good job at hiding that I’ll from FP and that’s exactly what she intended to do until he was ready to hear the truth.

Finally approaching the trailer that appeared to have an old beaten mailbox with the words “Jones” printed onto it, FP had no choice but to assume that this was their new, well technically old home.

He eyed up motor home, getting a good look at it from the car before slowly releasing his belt and exiting. It was white, more of a washed colour, with a seemingly sturdy porch and black roof. Two windows at the front, for what he assumed was the living room and kitchen, along with a criss cross fence right at the end of the ramp porch outside of the door. The outside was cleaner than he thought, and it was relatively larger than the rest of the trailers around on the land. He and his mother got lucky he thought.

He tucked his calloused strong hands into the deep pockets of his leather jacket, squinting his chocolate brown orbs as he sized up the place, poking his tongue at his cheek in deep thought as he leaned back slightly.

“It’s all flooding back to you now, huh?” 

He turns around, reacting to his mothers words as he watched her lift one of the boxes from the back of the truck and coming around to the front, grabbing her keys out of her back pocket and walking up the porch.

He retrieved a cardboard box from the truck also and proceeded to follow her up. There was somewhat of an every but familiar feeling that hit the two of them as they both entered the empty trailer.

It’s not exactly a homey environment right now but it’s clean enough, and surely once they were settled in, things would be much better. He was right about the living room and kitchen being placed by each other. The further he stepped into the room, the more familiar it felt, as more memories came flooding back, flashing through his mind briefly, some rather unpleasant, as the picture of a television set comes flying across the room as a toddler him watches from his bedroom.

He blinks rapidly, snapping back to reality and his mothers words pulling him out of his thoughts.

“Well, it looks like your father managed to keep this place decent, much to my surprise.” She mentions, struggling slightly as she manoeuvres herself around some of the already placed furniture and then places the box down, letting out a breath of relief as she stands back up.

He didn’t remember much about his old man, but being in that trailer definitely made him feel close to him, which was beginning to make him feel uncomfortable and out of place for some reason, but he placed that thought in the back of his mind.

She wipes the sweat from her brow, placing her hands by her hips before jutting them out and looking around proudly, until her eyes land upon FP’s growth chart on the wall in the corner.

Her heart melts at the sight, reminiscing over the excitement of his stellar growth between the ages of 6 months and 3 years old. His monthly growth check had remained one the only times where she and Forsythe senior would be in some sort of normalcy and domestic bliss, both of them gushing over their little boy growing up so fast.

She walked over to the wall markings, a beaming smile on her face as she lowered herself to the very beginning f, reaching our her small hand to stroke along it. “Come and look at this honey.” She tells him, turning back around as she hears him place his box down and approach her slowly. A comforting hand upon her back pulls her out of her trance, allowing her to stand back up.

She held her innocent gaze upon the markings as she stood back up, her face shifting from mildly emotional to slight pride. It just reminded her of how much he had grown, and how he had become to be the amazing young man he is today. It filled her with such warmth.

“Mom?” FP calls, finally getting her full attention. “You okay?”

Her lips twitch into a warming smile as she rests her hand upon his broad shoulder. “Yes honey, I’m fine, it’s just, a little too much to handle right now.”

She watches his sympathetic face, so desperately wanting to pinch his cheeks like she did when he was younger, which he hated, but screw it, she was going to proceed anyway.

He slightly scoffed, showing off a brief smile as Fiona pinched his cheeks and let go to cup his perfectly chiseled face and jaw. “I’m so proud of you, you do know that don’t you?”

“Yeah, I do.” He answers softly.

“How about we finish up here and then make our way to Pops diner huh?” She cheerily suggests before letting go and walking back over to one of their boxes.

He turns to her new position, furrowing his thick brows in slight curiosity. “Pop’s diner?”

“Yeah!” She cheerfully says, placing an ornament out of the box in front of her and laying it down onto the already established coffee table. “You used to love it as a kid.”

Well if that was the case, he couldn’t complain, plus he never passed up the opportunity for a meal. 

•••

“It’s so weird being back here.” The raven haired beauty pointed out as she briefly looked around the infamous diner from her usual booth. “Like, even though nothing’s changed it still feels different.”

Pops diner had been the heart of Riverdale for decades, a place for comfort, a place for socialisation, a place for acceptance and some damn good food too.

“You were only gone for 2 months, how much change were you expecting exactly?” Her charming comrade jokingly added as he sat next to her.

“Mmh, so everyone keeps reminding me, but it still felt like forever.” Hermione explains as she looks away absentmindedly. 8 weeks away in the big Apple working on a fashion internship she was blessed with sounded like bliss on paper, and she had gotten everything she wanted out of it, but at the end of the day there was no place like home, and sitting in the very same booth she had sat at since she was a kid, with her best friend Fred Andrews by her side was just that.

“So what about you Frederick? Do more this summer than sit on your couch, play Super Mario Brothers and jack off to Oscar's remaining Playboys?” She jokes with a little head roll and tight smile.

He tilts his head at her, returning the same smile before chuckling lightly. “Very funny! And my life does have more purpose than video games, unfortunately.” He adds before taking a bite of his onion rings. “But I did do something productive.”

She leans her elbows onto the table, curiosity hitting her as she raised her right hand, resting it onto her cheek. “Yeah? What?”

“Helped my Dad out on his upcoming construction project.” He answered, mouth still full as he chewed through his food.

“The affordable apartments for Sodale?” Hermione questions.

He nodded in confirmation. “But other than missing you of course, I didn’t get up to much outside of that, it just wouldn’t have been the same without you.”

“All the more reason to hit up Hiram’s party with me. We can make up for all the lost time and summer adventures there.” She coaxed, taking one of his onion rings and quickly placing it into her mouth before raising her brows in mild excitement.

And there it was, he thought. He had sense the strategic way she had built up this discussion to result in asking him to attend this party she knows he wouldn’t want to go to. 

He scoffed, rolling his eyes in frustration. “Come on ‘mione, you know that’s not my scene.”

That was the nice way of putting it, what he really meant was that he couldn’t stand Hiram nor his clique of preppy trust fund brats and their occasional douchebag behaviour. They were the types of guys who hid cameras in the girls locker rooms, disrespected service workers, prioritised their fancy sports cars over anything, spent more time at the gym than actually having a life, held playbooks detailing their sexual conquests, pretend to tie their shoes whenever a girl with a short skirt was around. 

But Fred? He was the complete opposite, a total stark contrast. It was bad enough he had to suffer through their antics during football and even through classes, but outside of school, he was a free agent, and he had no obligation to be in the same room as them.

Her mouth falls agape, a hint of disappointment gracing her face before she mildly sulks. “Oh come on! Not even for me, your delightful BFF?” She pleads, clasping her hands together dramatically and pulling a puppy dog face. It has always worked before.

He jokingly covered his eyes the minute he saw her pull her signature move. He had fallen victim to it way too many times before. “No way. And that face is not going to work.”

“Then why are you covering you eyes?” She cleverly retorts, smiling smugly towards him.

“What are you kids fighting about?” Virginia asks, walking over with milkshakes in the hand for the two of them. She was no stranger to their bickering, it was almost routine when they were growing up, plus the two had an entire summer to catch up on.

“Nothing important Mom.” Fred confirms, taking his milkshake from her hand and sucking onto the straw.

Hermione follows suit before thanking her for the beverage, taking the straw and mixing the whipped cream into the ice cold drink. “Hiram’s having a end of summer party, and he doesn’t wanna go.”

“You know, I don’t know many teenagers who turn down the opportunity for free food and drink and dancing.” Virginia pointed out, feigning curiosity in the matter as she glanced at her son.

“Well I guess you and Dad did a great job. Raising a respectable well behaved son who doesn’t dabble in partying and drinking on a regular basis.” Fred answered with a wide grin upon his face. He took pride in being an introverted homebody. He had never been the super social type, he was a laidback guy who’s idea of peak entertainment and social activity was watching Beavus and Butthead reruns with Hermione.

“You say that like Oscar doesn’t exist.” Hermione teases, reminding them of just how wild the other Andrews boy is. 

Virginia pursed her lips, folding her arms sternly and narrowing her eyes towards the young girl who she saw as a daughter. “Touché Hermione, touché.“ The older woman commented with an agreeing smile. Of course she’d never admit it out loud, but her eldest Oscar certainly was a wild one, and Hermione had witnessed it from a young age.

Hermione chuckled lightly, knowing her snappy humour impressed Virginia deep down. “I’m only kidding Mrs Andrews.”

“It’s not like it’s far from the truth though.” Fred added in a snarky tone, earning a giggle from Hermione. 

The nostalgic, colourful, vibrant and calming atmosphere throughout the diner was put off balance at the blaring of Hermione’s custom pager, taking Fred and Virginia by surprise as she pulled it out of her purse.

“Who is it?” Fred questions, taking note of the brief sigh on her face.

“It’s Alice.” She answers nonchalantly before placing the device back in place. “Her, Sierra and Mary are all going tonight.” She gathers her things together, rising from the booth and throwing her Chanel purse over her shoulder and resting her hand upon his.

“Are you sure I can’t convince you any further?” She asks softly, a plead like look still donning her face. 

And there it was again, the very look he couldn’t resist falling soft for. If only she knew the power that very face had on him. Not to mention the warm rush that ran through him at her touch, but was it strong enough to make him change his mind?

“I know he’s your boyfriend and all, and I respect that, and I’m happy you’ve found someone, worthy of you.” He mumbled reluctantly, not really feeling that way, far from it. “But, maybe another time.”

She’d always appreciated his polite and kind nature, even when it didn’t work in her favour, but it was a small price to pay for their friendship, she still wouldn’t change him for the world, not by a long shot. “Well, fair enough.” She accepts, slowly nodding before cornering the booth, making a beeline for the door.

“But we’re definitely catching up on Monday.” She adds before racing out the door, passing a mysterious raven haired leather clad boy and an older woman on the way out. She doesn’t pay much attention to him, but there was certainly something unique about him, and she was going to keep an eye on him for sure.

The blaring neon lights from the dining establishment, along with the bright and cheerful atmosphere and cheesy 60s aesthetic and music playing on the jukebox caught FP’s attention immediately. He halted in his steps, taking the atmosphere in with his mother stood by him. This was a far cry from the borderline derelict burger dives in the city of Centerville. On top of that, this place seemed much more communal and welcoming compared to cold, lonesome and distant experience back in the city.

He looked around, noticing the families sat at the red leather booths enjoying each other’s company and dabbling in no doubt, boring conversation. His eyes then landed on Virginia and Fred sat alone, unintentionaly locking eyes with the older woman, and mildly confused by her shift in expression from casual to shock.

She rose from the booth she was sat at, her mouth twitching into a smile before speaking. 

"Oh my- Fiona?" Virginia gasped with gleaming eyes.

Fiona reacts instantly, her lips twitching into the widest grin as she all but runs over to her long time friend, pulling each other into a welcoming hug and slowly releasing.

“H- how longs it been?” Virginia questions with the gleam still present. “13? 14 years?”

Fiona nods in confirmation, the smile on her face still beaming. “Roughly, yeah. How have you been?”

“I should be asking you that.” Virginia jokes with the raise of her brow. “But I’m well, as well as can be.”

“You and Arthur still going strong?” Fiona questioned. More so out of curiosity than manners or making conversation.

“Of course!” Virginia answered with pride.

Fiona nods as her narrow lips turn into a mild frown. She was happy to hear Virginia was still with her high school sweetheart, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of shame that courses through her due to not being in the same position. “Well I hope to find something as strong and solid as the two of you one day. You always were perfect for each other.”

Virginia smiles sympathetically, remembering what Forsythe put put her through all of those years back. The memories began to flow back like a river. It was a real punch to gut thinking about the trauma and abuse Fiona suffered at the hands of her husband, and knowing it resulted in her having to escape him and her temporarily losing her best friend made it hurt even more. “Me too.” 

The saddening tension that suddenly struck could be sliced with a knife as the two of them thought back to such a painful period. The subject had to be changed. “And this could never be little Frederick?” Fiona asked rhetorically as she gestured to the handsome young man. She hadn’t seen him before in a good 14 years and was amazed at how much he’d grown.

"Sure is." Virginia answered, a gleaming smile on her face as she pinched his cheeks.

Fred chuckled, twitching his lips to the side in mild embarrassment. "Ow, Mom."

"And I'd recognise that jawline anywhere." Virginia continued referring to FP. He was the spitting image of his mother, thankfully. 

Still beaming at the sight of her old friend, Fiona shifted her glance back towards her son. “You remember Virginia and Fred don’t you?” 

Barely, he thought as he poked his tongue in his cheek, his curious gaze still fixed upon Fred as he awkwardly stared back. He probably had maybe one memory that came to mind when he looked at the two of them sat down at their booth.

“Hey." He greeted softly as he pulled his his hand out of his pocket to give the two of them a brief wave. "Nice to meet you."

“So what brings you back here?” Virginia asked intently, paying attention to the mildly sad look that donned Fiona’s face.

“Well, mainly for a fresh start, I guess.” She mentioned. “Now with Forsythe-“

“No need to say anymore.” Virginia interrupted, knowing how painful it would be for Fiona to open up or speak about him. He was dead, buried and forgotten, and that’s how it was going to stay. “Why don’t you sit down?”

There was an heir of understanding between the two women as they stared at each other and Fiona took her seat, along with an heir of awkwardness between their two sons as the young men were slightly intrigued by each other. FP observed Fred and Fred observed FP. 

Fred came to the conclusion that he was a run of the mill bad boy. The confident stance, the leather jacket, hands in his pocket and scent of cigarettes, motor oil and mint gum gave it all away, while FP came to the conclusion that he was a goody two shoes Mama’s boy. Heck he loved his mother too, but not enough to let her pinch his cheeks in public.

“Guess we have a lot to catch up on.” Fiona added suggestively as she removed her jacket.

Fiona raised her brows in agreement. “That we do. So what have you both been up to?”

And that was the sign Fred needed to know he had to get out while he still could. His mother could anybody’s ear off all day if they let her and he wasn’t going to stick around for hours listening to the two engage in discussion or forced to engage himself.

“Actually Mom-“ He spoke as he stood from the booth, using the table as leverage to make a move. “I’m actually gonna head out, Hermione invited me to a party, and you know she’s missed me and all.” He chuckled, hoping the mention of Hermione would stop his mother asking questions or try to stop him.

“Well how about you bring FP along?” She suggest with a smile as he approaches the door.

FP leaned his arm over the back of the red leather seating, smirking as he watched the awkward look on Fred’s face. “I do love a party.” He added with a raise of his brows

“Uhm-“ Fred stammered, he had no intention of going to this party to begin with, but it would no doubt be awkward if he turned his mother’s suggestion down. “Sure.” He nodded.

FP pursed his lips smugly, nodding to himself as he stood from the table. “Well, I guess I’ll be off then.” He added with a hand clasp before walking towards the entrance to meet Fred. 

“Curfew is 1am!” Virginia called out one last time.

“Same for you FP.” Fiona added.

The boys calmly waved to their mother’s before leaving the establishment, one of them more excited for what was in store for the night than the other.

The strolled through the car park and down the streets, with FP following Fred like a puppy. He had no choice to, he hadn’t a clue where they were going, along with that they had remained silent since they left the diner, awkwardly silent. 

“So, I know you weren’t really planning on going to this so called party.” FP revealed as they walked down the back road, taking Fred by surprise. “And you only said it to get out of there.”

Fred looked puzzled, mildly surprised that FP caught on to his great plan. He admittedly didn’t think he was that smart. “N- no. That’s not it.” He calmly admits to put FP at ease. “There is a party, happening tonight that my friend Hermione, who is real by the way, invited me to.”

“Uh huh.” FP spoke with his tongue in cheek before placing his hands in his pockets as they walked down the dark and derelict street with the moonlight blaring down on them. “So what’s the deal?”

“I already declined.” He admitted with a sigh. Parties aren’t my scene to begin with, and the company sure aren’t gonna make it any better.” He reluctantly revealed as he glared a the ground, calmly kicking a rock along the concrete.

“I wasn’t lying when I said I love a party.” FP repeated with a mischievous smirk as he broadened his shoulders.

“So what? You wanna crash?” Fred questioned. He already knew that’s what FP was suggesting. It was written all over his face.

FP pursed his lips and shrugged before looking around the block. “Nothing better to do. So whatcha say? Come along? Have a beer or two?” 

Fred narrowed his eyes at the teen in wonder as he smirked, finding FP’s thirst for adventure and unapologetic attitude intriguing. Not many people in town had that quality.

“You have this odd way of making anyone change their mind, no matter how set in their ways they are, even if you’ve known them for five minutes.”

FP laughed smugly before bringing his arm around Fred’s shoulders and pulling him in. “Well Freddie boy-“

“It’s Fred dude. Only my Mom calls me Freddie.” He admitted in embarrassment.

“-Fred.” He finished. “That’s called persuasion, my friend. And I take pride in it.”

The two of them chuckled as they continued their journey. Little did they know they had an eventful night ahead of them.


	2. That’s Why I Can’t Hang with the Cool Gang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiram’s party. Rowdy and rebellious teenagers in a room full of booze and drugs, what could possibly go wrong?

The sounds of hair dryers, minor and frivolous chit chat and Mariah Carey on Hermione’s high end Sony stereo system filled the room, calming the atmosphere for the four girls as they prepared for Hiram’s party.

Hermione watched from her desk as Sierra made finishing touches to her hair, Mary was no doubt complaining about something as she lay down on Hermione’s bed, she couldn’t hear properly over Sierra’s blow dryer, and Alice doing what she does best, unapologetically admiring herself in the mirror.

“Christ, I look like shit.” Alice pointed out as she checked over her perfectly symmetrical face, fluffing her curly dark blonde locks that fell over her shoulder.

Alice’s words gain Mary’s attention instantly, forcing her to look up from the book she quietly read. “Alice stop, you’re gorgeous, okay?” She encouraged with a chuckle before turning to her reading. She rarely admit it out loud but she was mildly jealous of the blondes looks.

Alice narrowed her eyes wondrously, turning back to the mirror and admiring her body in her tight black cropped halter top and denim mini skirt before flicking her lips into a smirk. 

“I’m convinced you only ever say that so you can get a reaction telling you otherwise.” Sierra announced as she paused from her hair.

Alice’s mouth fell agape before shifting her unimpressed gaze towards Sierra. “Always the mood killer Sierra.” She sighed out before returning to focus on her face. 

“I’m surprised you’re going.” Hermione added while she searched through her closet for an outfit, one that hopefully didn’t clash and was weather friendly. “You do know Hal’s gonna be there, right?”

Alice remained silent, offering nothing but a sharp roll of her eyeliner and mascara filled blue orbs. Hal Cooper, he’d been her on and off boyfriend for roughly 6 months, but more of a fuck buddy at first. The two often found themselves in a childish and toxic cycle of back and forth with no growth or development, and quite frankly, everybody around them found it beyond irritating, but would never say it to their faces 

“Oh my, you guys are off this week?” Mary questions ironically, bringing her hand to her chest as she feigns concern. “Forgive me, I’m having difficulty keeping up.”

A burst of laughter came out of Sierra’s mouth as she twirled her hair, followed by an innocent snicker from Hermione as she focused on her closet and pulled out a deep purple halter top, sizing it up to her chest.

“What even happened between the two of you?” Hermione enquired with a look of confusion. “Before I left, you both seemed fine, well as fine as can be, for you two anyway.”

Alice halted her hands by her lips as displeasure and irritation crossed her face, the sudden thought of Hal’s harsh words and Hiram and his interference flooded through her mind again. She shifted her head towards Hermione’s oblivious face, slightly tightening her jaw as her luscious blonde locks fell over her shoulder. “Ask your drug peddling boyfriend.” She impulsively snapped, a troubling habit of hers that her friends and family had seemed to had gotten used to by now. 

“What’s Hiram got to do with this?” Hermione asks innocently removing her shirt and throwing it onto her bed. 

“Not much, but he sticks his fucking beak into everything.” She cursed before folding her arms across his chest with a head tilt. “And he was just there when it went down and I’m too lazy to tell you everything.” 

“Details please!” Sierra implored with a smirk. “I’m nosy.” 

And she wasn’t the only one. Alice turned to see all of their curiosity filled faces waiting in anticipation to be given the details of she and Hal’s recent break up. 

She sighed in irritation, reluctantly giving in to their silent demands. “He was just giving me shit about my outfit at that Independence Day with his parents, my body and I was tired of hearing it.” She revealed nonchalantly before turning back to the mirror. 

That independence day weekend had ended drastically, and a simple leopard print bustier and high wasted frayed denim shorts was the cause of it all. Alice had never had any shame in her body and loved to show it off, revealing her best assets. As long as she was comfortable in her clothing and body it was all that mattered, Hal however, along with his family didn’t exactly share the same sentiment.

Following a few insulting choice words from Caroline Cooper and interfering from Hiram, the night resulted in Alice and Hal screaming at each other like wild banshees, something she was no stranger to being where she was from and given her sassy and rebellious nature, a drink being thrown in Hal’s face and the destruction of a champagne float courtesy of her. 

She had no apologies of her actions that night either, especially as she proudly walked out waving a stolen bottle of champagne and giving Hal the finger. She also had a fun time forgetting as she downed the pricey beverage in celebration and found herself some very pleasuring company in the form of a very handsome bar worker. 

“Hal Cooper being a misogynistic pig. Show of hands who’s shocked?” Mary added with a hint of disapproval. She was never one to shy away from telling people what she thought of them, especially men.

“That dick.” Hermione says. “Glad I was out of town when Hiram invited me.” She expressed with relief. Like others, she had never been too keen on Hal and the rest of the Cooper family in general.

“It’s cool though. I’ve got something for him.” She smirked sinisterly, looking back at herself in the mirror as she stroked the edge of her lips and fluffed her hair. She was gonna get him back, and get him back right where it hurts.

•••

The smoke and fumes from various joints being smoked in the room clouded the entire downstairs area of Hiram’s 5 bedroom home as the Beastie Boys latest single blared out in the background on his Father’s pricey new music speakers.

He and the rest of the Bulldogs were gathered around him, taking up room on his couch in his family living room as they gleefully anticipated tonight’s upcoming party.

“Let’s run bets alright?!” Hal gleefully suggested after releasing his heavy set bong from his mouth. “How much pussy can we smash in one night?”

The room cheers excitedly at Hal’s vile comment, showing no restraint at the nature of it. To them, this was completely normal and acceptable behaviour, and it was sadly all they knew.

“Alright dude.” Hiram added in a patronising manor as he lightly smacked his back to calm him down. “I’ve got a girlfriend.”

“Hey, I won’t tell if you won’t.” Hal says suggestively with an arched brow as a smirk crosses his face. “No shame in stepping out on a chick every now and then, we all do it.” He finished, gesturing towards the rest of the Bulldogs sat in Hiram’s living room. He then placed his muscled arm around Hiram’s shoulder, pulling him into his bare chest. “Us boys, we got needs.”

Hiram briskly brushed Hal’s arm off his shoulder before he narrowed his eyes in frustration, tightening his lips as a build up of mild embarrassment rushing through his veins and his face began to turn crimson red. “I get all the pussy I need from her already.” He lied, fearing the judgement from the rest of the guys. The truth was, Hermione came from a devout catholic family. Just the very mention of pre marital sex in her household would cause the apocalypse.

“You sure about that?” Hal questioned with a hint of suspicion, wanting to shame Hiram one way or another. He smugly took a sip of beer from his cup, keeping his questioning gaze on Hiram as he did. “‘Cuz from what I hear, she’s a fucking frigid.”

Hiram’s lip screwed into a grimace as he clenched his fists in fury as he darted his sharp and narrowed eyes towards the clique.

”Yeah, Isn’t she like, insanely catholic dude?” Marty laughed.

Standing from the couch fiercely, Hiram stormed over to the group of boys, standing directly opposite Hal. “Alright fine! She’s a fucking tease alright? That what you wanna hear?!”

Hal and the rest of the boys mouths fell agape in surprise, not at the confirmed revelation regarding Hermione, but over Hiram’s mild outburst. He was normally the laidback one of their group so this yelling spell came as a surprise. At least they now knew what made them tick.

“I been trying to get her in the sack for months but she gives nuns a fucking run for their money.” 

“It’s not that deep dude.” Hal mocked with a chuckle. “Just drop the prude and go for a chick that will give out.” He nonchalantly suggests. He had no respect for girls in any way and had no shame in showing it so carelessly.

“Like Alice.” Marty suggests with a conniving smile. “I hear she’s single now.” He added, causing them rest of the Bulldogs to laugh and gasp at Hal.

Hal’s brows knitted into a frown at the mention of his ex, halting his drinking before his face tightened into a scowl. “Fuck her! That fucking whore.” He spat before slamming his drink onto a mantle piece nearby. He practically leapt into the free couch opposite them all, reclining back into it as his thigh jiggled anxiously. 

“Touched a nerve have I?” Marty teased, earning a death glare from his captain. He knew he went too far with mention of Alice seeing as Hal was strangely possessive and hated the idea of any other boy so much as being in her proximity. She was his and his only.

“Shut the fuck up Marty unless you wanna lose your teeth.” Hal growled once more before remaining silent. 

“White trash bad girls might be your thing buddy but they ain’t mine.” Hiram humoured as he remained poker faced. “I’ll stick to Hermione. She might be a damn challenge but I’ll get her to crack. Believe me.” He revealed cockily with a confident smile appearing on his face, turning towards Hal to observe his reaction.

The fellow Bulldog’s face transformed from fury filled to even mannered as an equally smug smile appeared on his broad shaped face too. “That’s what I’m talking about.” He approved with a smirk as the two fist bumped immediately, the rest of the Bulldogs cheering and reacting with excitement.

The two stood from the couch before Hal excitedly pulled him into his chest to ruffle his hair. “Our boys gonna swipe his V card tonight!” Hal bellowed in excitement before retrieving his abandoned bong. Tonight was going to be eventful for sure.

•••

Fred and FP found themselves walking down the derelict back streets of Riverdale, making their way to Hiram's home, the tension between the two still awkward nonetheless, but they both seemed to be opening up to each other bit by bit.

“So what’s your beef with these guys?” FP wonders curiously, clapping his mouth as he confidently chewed down on his gum with a slight slacked jaw.

A puzzled look dawned Fred’s features, not entirely sure what FP was referring to. “What do you mean?”

“These guys at this party?” FP reminds him. “They dunk your head in the toilet? Steal your girl? What?” He chuckles.

Fred purses his lips in thought, reluctant to speak any further but eventually giving in, knowing FP would continue to hassle him. “Long story short? They’re just your, average, run of mill high school dicks. You’ll see for yourself later.”

The sound of a honking horn followed by the music of Madonna from a coming familiar royal purple BMW M5 moving towards them interrupts their conversation, forcing them to turn around.

The corners of Fred’s mouth curled into a little smile as he recognised the number plate. “That’s Hermione.” 

“Who?” FP asked with a raised brow. He squinted his chestnut eyes at the coming vehicle, recognising the raven haired girl in the drivers seat as the same one he saw leaving the diner earlier that night.

The car slowed down as it approached the two, hearing the sounds of the chattering and laughing girls inside. An excited grin graced Hermione’s face as she rolled the window down. “I thought that was you.”

Fred lowered himself to the window as FP remained behind him, just quietly observing the girls in the car, the one in the front seat in particular.

“Ain’t it past your bed time, Freddie?” Alice mocked teasingly, taking a drag of her lit cigarette. She’d always made fun of him for being so reserved and not as thrill seeking as the rest of their friends and he always brushed it off. He’d be the first to admit high school parties, drinking and drugs weren’t exactly his scene, so seeing him out so late took her by surprise.

“Okay you got me.” Fred said playfully, throwing his hands up in defence. “I did, change my mind about Hiram’s party.” He added with a defeated head tilt.

“That’s a first.” Sierra exclaims in a gasp from the back seat, feigning shock as she does. “I thought you hated them.”

Fred chuckles, lowering his head ever so slightly to look Sierra in the eye. “Well I can put that hate aside, just for tonight.”

Hermione darted her eyes towards FP, getting a closer look at the slack jawed leather clad bad boy that had graced her presence. “And who’s this?” 

“Oh, you mean him?” Fred questioned nervously, his eyes becoming agape as he turned towards the young man behind him.

“FP.” He answered for Fred, approaching the car window with a puffed chest and lifted chin, a cocky smirk appearing as he leaned against the window next to Fred. 

He took this opportunity to eye up the blonde hottie in the front seat as a cigarette hung from her mouth. Her heart shaped face, scarlett painted lips and sapphire blue eyes all striking him beyond disbelief.

Alice sultrily narrowed her eyes as her gaze remained onto the mysterious new boy. She pursed put her lips confidently into a silent o, slowly releasing the smoke from her lungs as she observed him. His cockiness and stand alone told her he definitely wasn’t middle class enough to had moved onto the Northside, he had that over confident rough and tough vibe about him, which she could spot from a mile off.

“He’s, my Mom’s friends son. They just moved here today.” Fred explained further.

“Well you might as well get in.” Hermione encouraged, looking back into the back seat to imply to Mary and Sierra to make some room.

FP nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders, rising from the window and reaching the door handle. “You heard her Freddie.” He added before squeezing in next to Mary and Sierra.”

“Isn’t there a maximum passenger law in the state?” Fred worried as he reluctantly made his way to the back.

Alice scoffs, tipping the ash from her cigarette out of the window before throwing it out completely. “Stop being such a pussy.”

•••

The minute Hermione pulled up outside of Hiram’s front yard a little while later, the six teens were immediately met with a stereotypical high school party atmosphere. Red cups scattered around the front garden and porch with beer barrels sat on each side and O.O.P by Naughty by Nature blaring so loud on a stereo the whole street could hear.

The Lodge home happened to be one of the most prestigious properties in all of Riverdale, second to Thornhill mansion, owned by the Blossom family and the Cooper residence, occupied by none other than Hal Cooper and his family of course.

FP quietly observed his surroundings as they all exit the vehicle, the girls making a beeline for the front door past all the laidback and tipsy students of Riverdale party while Fred remained by his side. His assumptions about the parties occupants turned out to be correct, the majority of these present teens all appeared to be middle or upper class snobby rich kids looking for cheap thrills, perhaps Fred was right about them after all.

It wasn’t like this was his first party, he’d done his fair share of drinking and weed smoking occupied by music in the comfort of other peoples homes back in Centerville, he just thought suburban kids were different, turns out they were very much the same. That was the real shock for him.

The two relatively new friends slowly made their way to the front door, manoeuvring around everybody as they walked through Hiram’s grand hallway, catching up with Alice, Hermione, Sierra and Mary when they did. As well as the smell of strong liquor waving around in the air, the smell of marijuana, sweat and sex hit all their nostrils too, scents FP, and by the extension Alice, were all too familiar with.

Fred remained stoic, holding his hands deep into his pockets as a look of uncertainty and discomfort donned his face. He felt out of place already and he’d only been present for a minute, this really wasn’t his scene at all, but he was here now, and he was already prepared to take full advantage of all the free booze available.

“So this is what rich kids get up to when they’re not maxing out Mommy and Daddy’s credit cards huh?” FP

“Hiram’s not rich.” Hermione defended with a slight giggle. “He’s, comfortable.”

FP chuckled, adding a slight scoff to emphasise his point before reaching for a beer on the mantle piece he stood by. “His porch is bigger than my bedroom, he’s more than rich, he’s, burn money to prove a point rich.” He explained before taking a sip of the alcoholic beverage, pursing his lips to savour the taste.

“Ignore her.” Alice interjected in a raspy and patronisingly insulting tone, leaning against the doorway to the living room as she darted her gaze directly to FP and bit down on her lower lip. FP locker eyes with her back, again pursing his lips cockily as he looked her up and down. As she was sat down in the car when he first met her, he could appreciate her outfit fully, but as she stood leaning against the door in a cropped black halter top and tight denim mini skirt, remaining braless and poking her exposed hip out while slightly arching her back, he could see everything in all its glory, and it was just as tantalising as he thought.

“She’s always been in denial when it comes to him.” Alice added in a cocky head tilt, causing Hermione to roll her eyes. She was honest and told it like it was no matter who it was, FP appreciated that quality in people. He could tell this Alice was something.

Alice, feeling all Male eyes on her from the minute she entered, left the teens alone and sultrily wandered over to the Lodges liquor cabinet, swaying her hips as she did. She returned to the clique with a bottle of Vodka in hand, clutching it to her chest when she approached them. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got someone to piss off.” Alice added, licking her lips seductively before wandering off through the crowds into the next room. FP especially, as his mouth curled up into a seductive smirk as he sized this girl up, she was trouble alright, no doubt about that.

“Does she ever behave?” Sierra wondered, poking her head around into the room Alice entered. “Can’t she just go one day without causing chaos?”

“That’s Alice for you!” Mary chirped as she folded her arms, watching as Alice blew kisses to the random boys wolf whistling her way. “She came out of the womb being bad, rumour has it she gave the midwife the finger.” 

“Well one things for sure-“ Hermione interrupted with a smirk of pride. “I wouldn’t want to be in Hal’s shoes by the end of the night.” She giggled, knowing the night will surely end him crying or smashing up Hiram’s home in a rage as a result of whatever Alice had planned for him.

As much as they bickered and rarely saw eye to eye, Mary still loved Alice for who she was, and so did Sierra and Hermione. They wouldn’t have it any other way, she just wouldn’t be the same without her bad girl qualities. That’s the way it was; Alice was the trouble making tart with a heart, Hermione was the sensitive but sensible sweetheart, Mary was the sassy smartass and Sierra was the gleeful but graceful goofball.

“Is this what you girls do when us guys aren’t around?” Fred began as his lips twitched up into a suspicious smile. “Plot against us?”

Mary scoffs as her eyebrows raise towards Fred. “You’re not one to talk on this matter Frederick. Unless you want me to address problematic locker room talk amongst your gender.”

“Whats locker room talk?” They heard from behind them, finding Hiram stood with a bare chest and a beer in his hand, causing Fred’s mild mannered face to drop into an unimpressed look immediately. Just when he was starting to perk up and thought maybe he’d enjoy himself, of course Hiram’s presence had to put a damper on his mood.

A wide smile crossed Hermione’s face as Hiram pulled her waist from behind, immediately widening his mouth and leaning in for a deeply affectionate kiss, taking Hermione by surprise as her eyes became agape. “Babe-“ She giggles as she tried to push him off a little. She was more than happy to see him but he seemed a little more over excited than usual, and he hadn’t been drinking much either.

Mary, Fred, Sierra and FP watched on in displeasure and awkwardness, staring back at each other with tightened smiles.

“Get a room.” Sierra rudely suggested with a grimace in her face. Very few things grossed her out and public displays of affection happened to be one of them.

“That’s not a bad idea.” Hiram grinned suggestively as he moved his lips down to her neck.

Hermione turned in his arms, furrowing her brows as she held his head in her hands. This was an odd and random suggestion on his part, and she wanted to be sure he meant what he meant. “Are you sure?”

Hiram calmly nodded, the grin on his face remaining.

“I’ll catch up with you guys later.” Hermione whispered to the four of them as he took her by the hand and lead her upstairs, the cheers by the nearby Bulldogs completely going over her head, but not Fred’s as he darted his rage built gaze over to them. He knew exactly what was about to happen upstairs and it filled him with jealousy, but at the same time, he knew it wasn’t his business, and Hermione was a grown woman capable of making her own decisions, so this really wasn’t his place to say anything.

“I need a drink.” He scoffed before entering the Lodges living room, in search for that much needed beverage.

All four teens later dispersed after Alice and Hermione’s departures. Mary and Sierra moving down to the Lodge basement, searching for a dance with the green devil along with the rest of Riverdale High’s resident potheads, Fred storing off into an isolated corner in a strip and rowing his jealousy I masses of liquor and FP, calmly wondering around the estate, taking in the atmosphere and everyone’s vibes as he admired all the fancy pillars, priceless artwork and classic furniture. They really were super rich he thought. Heck they even had a pool outside. It took everything inside him to not resort to stealing anything, but knowing him, that need would take over one soon day.

As the music played throughout the evening, and everyone in attendance of this party reaped the benefits of Hiram’s drug supply and his family’s liquor cabinet, Alice remained in the corner, quietly slipping from her red cup through a straw, the bottle of vodka she had taken long gone.

Her knitted brows and narrowed ocean blue eyes gazed across the room towards Hal and some unknown skank, the two seeming to look very cosy with one another. It filled her to the core with rage. Two can play at that game, she thought.

Storming off around the corner to begin her great act of payback, her eyes landed on Marty sat alone. A cheeky grin crossed her face. Jackpot.

She sauntered over to the lonesome and much less popular Bulldog, taking advantage of his isolation. Marty had always been gullible with a constant desperation to be liked by the others, and she was aware of that. He was willing to do anything to get into the good books of the popular crowd, from following Hiram and Hal’s every move to chatting up any of the Vixen cheerleaders. 

She sultrily sipped on her straw, eyeing him up and down as she approached him and finally gaining his attention.

His recliner back into the large red armchair he was occupying, slowly darting his eyes up to the voluptuous vixen in front of him, puckering his lips in pleasure. 

She pursed her lips forward as they were still around the straw before carefully removing it and curling her mouth into a smirk of mischief and seduction.

“Mind if I have a seat?” She questioned, her raspy voice filled with temptation.

He formed his narrow lips into a silent o, slowly releasing a chuckling breath and he shook his head in awe towards her. He’d be a fool to turn her away. “Be my guest.” 

Following his request, she proudly sat down onto his open lap, stretching her long porcelain legs over and positioning her arm around his shoulders and lowering her lips to his ear.

Hal spotted the two of them from across the room, his expression going blank as he watched his ex practically seduce his team mate. He gripped onto the red plastic cup in hand, crushing it in anger before slamming it onto the floor.

He watched as she took Marty by the hand and lead him towards the kitchen. Curious as to what they were up to, he pushed the girl he was entertaining off of him, briskly following after them, practically pushing everyone in his proximity out of the way. The further he moved and lost sight of them the more furious he became. He was already quite possessive of Alice he o begin with, and hated the idea of any other man having her, even when they were split up.

His worst fears seemed to come true, as he stepped out into Hiram’s backyard pool, his face dropping in disgust and rage seeping through his entire system upon seeing the sight of Alice and Marty in the middle of the pool, engaging in a very intimate moment and passionately kissing his slightly anxious face with everyone outside watching in awe, shock, disgust or laughter.

“Yeah that’s real classy you fucking whore!” Hal roared with fury filled eyed as he stepped further towards the pool, still watching the two in their blatant intimate moment.

Alice darted her sapphire blues his ways, narrowing them mischievously as her fresh red painted lips curled into a sneaky yet seductive smirk. Slowly releasing her lips from Marty’s, slightly pulling on them with her teeth, she boldly expressed a touching suggestion. “Suck my dick!”

As she smugly laughed, proud of hitting Hal where it hurt the most, she locked eyes with FP as he stood by the wall, watching her with a narrowed and curious eye. She gave him a final smirk before turning her attention back to Marty. She was glad to find she had such interested spectators.

The damage to Hal’s ego and fragile masculinity couldn’t be masked in that moment. He felt everyone’s eyes on him as he unsteadily moved through the kitchen, the combination of drugs and alcohol truly taking its toll on him.

“What the fuck are you all looking at?!” He bellowed angrily, yanking another beer from the counter top, aggressively pulling the top off and bringing it to his lips for a long refreshing gulp.

As he viciously wiped the corners of his mouth with bare arm, he caught FP at the corner of his eye, casually reaching into the refrigerator and pulling out a carton of juice and drinking straight from it.

Obviously having no clue who this boy was, he grew suspicious, and FP’s lack of basic manners certainly didn’t help, but rather than kindly ask him who he was, the substances and toxins circulating his bloodstream took over, forcing his impulsive no filter persona to come out.

“Who the hell are you?” He spat, slowly storming over to FP, his sweat covered face glowing red in mild rage.

He twisted his lips into a displeased grimace, furrowing his brows in uncertainty. Was he speaking to him? He surely couldn’t be with that much attitude laced in his voice.

“FP Jones.” He casually introduced before slamming the fridge door shut. “Who the fuck are you?” He snapped, stepping up to the muscly Football player and boldly eyeing him and down before glaring into his blue bug eyes.

“You motherfucker-“ Hal spat immediately before he bared his pearly white teeth, rising his enlarged palms and pushing FP up against the wall before tugging on his jacket. 

Pure rage surged through FP’s body in that moment and he saw red instantly, hearing the gasps of the crowds around him, he plucked up the strength push Hal back, forcing him against the sink and gripping onto his bare throat, watching the blood drain from his pale face as fear crossed his eyes. 

“Yo chill man! It was a joke!” Hal defended in a croaked voice as he attempted to pull FP’s hands off of him.

“A joke huh?” FP repeated. “Didn’t sound like it.”

Fred shifted through the crowd of party goers upon hearing the commotion, immediately standing in between them and pushing FP off of him. “Are you crazy?!” Fred hissed frantically with widened eyes, taking a hold of FP and attempting to leave.

FP’s scowling face and rage burning eyes remained of Hal, refusing to turn away as he and Fred walked out backwards, until they got to the corner of the hallway towards the front door. He wanted to show Hal just who he was fucking with. 

He didn’t take kindly to disrespect, getting pushed around or having his signature leather pulled on, and he promised himself in that moment that he was going to let it be known to anybody in that town who thought it would be a good idea to mess with him.

The cold air hit his tightened and chiseled face as he stepped out onto the porch, Fred following behind him.

He casually scratched onto his thin beard, casually staring out towards the busy street before Fred pulled him out of his thought with a rough back pat.

“A fight on your first night? Seriously?” He rhetorically questioned with the raise of a brow.

FP turned to him, a cheeky grin on his handsome face before he began snickering. “What can I say? They’re my party trick, if you will.”

Things were no doubt only going to get crazier from here and out.


	3. Fight Club

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The start of the semester; Junior Year. Surely everything is supposed to run smoothly right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you’re all enjoying this story! Please don’t forget to leave a review and kudos, it really makes my day and encourages quicker updates!

The piercing beeping from Hal’s state of the art alarm clock are the first thing he hears on his first Monday back from summer vacation. Junior year had officially begun.

His hangover from Saturday night was still in effect, and he had truly underestimated the impact of spirits, marijuana and unknown mixed pills had on the soul body and mind. His head was pounding, like the edge of his skull was being repeatedly hit with a sledgehammer and he needed something to take the edge off pronto.

Taking his cellphone out of his bedside drawer, he dialled up Hiram. He didn’t care if he was asleep, he needed something strong to stay awake and would be expecting him to have it as soon as he would arrive to school, because Hal was always used to getting what he wanted.

He wasn’t a regular drug user, he’d smoke a joint or something every now and then, just to calm his nerves, just like everyone else would, but he wasn’t afraid to try everything under the rainbow, not down to pressure or anything, but because he found enjoyment in it.

The only thing that ever made him think twice about going down that thrilling and liberating road were his parents. His perfection and reputation obsessed controlling parents. Caroline and Lewis Cooper, coming right from the bloodline of one of Riverdale’s founding families, the most respected family in all of town.

Reputation and putting on a facade of perfection was their main priority, it certainly came before their children’s general well-being, and Hal had realised that from a young age. Their controlling nature and pressure on him and his elder sister Cassandra to be impeccable in every aspect of life from their education, their hobbies, their behaviour and even their physical appearance had slowly but surely taken its toll on him over the years, causing him to feel trapped and constantly on a string run by his parents. 

He didn’t feel like their son at times, he felt like their puppet, which is exactly why he’d use drugs and alcohol, routinely get fucked up at parties and screw any girl with a pulse in order to boost his ego, and give him that little bit of control he had been deprived of his whole life. And he was smart about it too. He disguised his drug usage from his parents very well and as for the girls he sought out, he chose a specific kind. He was picky, like any other man on the planet. He liked blondes mainly, blondes with nice bodies, perfect skin and pretty faces, not too much make up, which was probably the first thing he noticed about Alice Smith.

She was the archetype of his ideal woman. She was a bad girl, a rebel from the wrong side of the tracks and in his mind that was hitting the jackpot and striking gold, not because bad girls were the best type of girls, but because he knew that meant she came with baggage and rough background, so to him she had to have some sort of low self esteem issue along with vulnerability by default, which in a sick way, made him feel good because it meant she was susceptible to control, his control. He also assumed she’d be good in bed, which was an added bonus.

She was a challenge at first, pretty hard to please, but after constant faux wooing and purchasing of expensive gifts, she was putty in his hands, and along with subtly ruling Alice, he ruled Riverdale High. It was his kingdom, his domain, the one place where he dominated and remained on top, the one place he was truly happy.

He dragged on a pair of pants from his closet before adding a sweater and making his way downstairs, the sweet smell of his mother’s blueberry pancakes hitting his nostrils and the sounds of her scolding his sister hitting his ears.

“Lower your skirt, Cassandra.” Caroline demands with an heir of hissing and judging in her tone.

She watched with narrow eyes from her rising teacup as her son made his way down the grand staircase, finally joining the family.

“And finally, you decide to awaken from your pigsty and join us Harold.” Caroline mentions with the arch of a brow towards her son. She didn’t take kindly to her children choosing to stay in bed for long periods of time. The whole action just screamed laziness and reluctance to be perfect in her opinion. She attributes those behaviours with the lower and working class, who she had an unhealthy despise for. She knew she was a cold hearted snob, but strangely enough she took pride in that. 

“I wasn’t feeling too well.” Hal grumbles as he takes his assigned seat at the breakfast table, refusing to make eye contact with his mother.

“Hangovers and come downs tend to do that.” Cassandra suggestively whispers before slyly sipping her glass of orange juice, Hal darting his rage filled eyes towards her immediately.

“Shut the fuck up, Cassandra.” He hisses, slowly releasing his clenched fists, a common habit of his whenever he felt like he was losing control of his surroundings and the people around him, and his sister almost putting him on blast in front of their parents made him feel like a puppet on a string in the blink of an eye.

“What are you two whispering about?” Lewis questions demandingly, slowly lowering his newspaper to get a better look at his children. His ears weren’t as weak as his wife’s.

“Nothing.” Hal answers with a sly smile, darting his shifty blue eyes towards his sister. “Nothing at all.”

Cassandra shoots him a death, tightening her pink painted lips as she tries her hardest to reign in her fury before quietly returning to her breakfast.

“Reserve your petulant sibling squabbling for outside of the dining table, thank you.” Lewis grumbled sternly as he adjusted his newspaper, preparing to change the page.

“Yes sir.” Hal quietly obeyed before reaching for the freshly squeezed orange juice in front of him.

“Besides-“ Lewis begins firmly, folding his large newspaper together and placing it down into the table in front of him. “You should be more focused and putting all this energy into football.” He reminded Hal, watching as the young man slowly chewed on his breakfast meal and listened attentively.

He admired football and the joy that came with it but he would be lying if his parents, particularly his father’s, pressure and helicopter approach to mildly coaching him put a damper on his love for the sport. At times, he felt like just packing up and abandoning it all together.

“I know Dad.” Hal practically mumbled, refusing to look back. “This seasons important, and it’s a big year.”

•••

“Shouldn’t you be leaving already?” Fiona questions a nonchalant FP at the table as she rushed around the trailer searching for her apron for her uniform. She had secured a waitressing job at Pops and her first shift was starting within the hour.

“The bus doesn’t come for another-“ He responds with a mouth full of toast. “15 minutes. I’m good.”

“You really don’t wanna be late on your first day.” Fiona advises him as she adjusts her watch in a hurry. “Plus I don’t want you to miss out on anything, it’s already hard enough being the new kid but turning up late and missing important stuff as well?”

He lightly chuckled at his mothers concern, which he appreciated, not every mother was as hands on as his. “Mom, I’ll be fine.” He assured her with a bright smile, rising from the table and shining his backpack over his shoulder. “Not my first time at the rodeo either, is it?”

Fiona looks back at her strong and able son, proud of how far he’s come and the man he’s grown into. He truly was her pride and joy. “Do you want me to give you a ride instead?” She asks excitedly, still very worried about him being late

He calmly shakes his head before proceeding for the door. “Nope, I better start getting used to the bus until I get a new bike.” He adds with a slight grump, his mother unaware of the full story behind his bikes “mysterious” disappearance. “Or, my own set of wheels?” He says with a suggestive smirk, hoping his mother would catch on.

She pulled an unimpressed smirk, raising her left brow before folding her arms across her chest. He had tried to pull that fast one too many times already. “Nice rry Forsythe. Not until your 18th. Now go on, get outta here.”

•••

Listening to the latest Nirvana album on his Walkman, blocking out the noise of all the rowdy and excited students of Riverdale High, Fred calmly rested his head against the window, closing his eyes shut as he appreciated the moment of peace and solace, but not before being startled by the tap of his shoulder.

His eyes gape open widely in shock before they land on a very sweet looking Hermione standing above him, helping him calm down instantly.

“This seat taken?” She asks sweetly before pulling her purse over her shoulder and pressing the books that were too large to fit inside to her chest.

“No, course not.” He responds with a wide smile, happy but surprised to see her, especially after Saturday. He removed his bag from the seat, resting it upon his lap and watching on she takes her seat.

He takes note of her reserved nature, watching as she anxiously glares around her current surroundings, the public school bus certainly wasn’t her scene, so it was odd to see her riding along it this morning.

“Thought I’d see a pig fly before I ever caught you riding the bus. What happened to your car?”

Her eyes roll upward, gripping her purse closer to her hip. “There’s a problem with the engine.” She revealed to him in slight annoyance, still feeling frustrated over her vehicle. She had only had it for a few months. “It wouldn’t start up when I left the party on Saturday.” She explained to him before making a slight huff. “I’m gonna get Alice to take a look at it. Hopefully there’s not too much damage.” Alice may have been appeared to be a girly girl upon first glance, but she knew her way around the hood of a car. 

“Yikes.” Fred hisses, his lips twisting into an awkward look. “That sucks.”

“Yes, it does. And thank you so much for sticking around as well.” Hermione adds sarcastically, referring to Fred’s disappearance on Saturday night.

Fred bares his teeth in slight embarrassment, shifting in his seat. “Yeah, sorry about that. FP got into a fight with Hal-“

“What?!” Hermione gasped as her cocoa brown orbs widened in astonishment. “Oh my God, when?”

“After you went upstairs with Hiram, to, you know?” Fred adds suggestively.

Hermione’s eyes shifted away from Fred’s, feeling a twinge of unease at Fred’s mention of her and Hiram’s initial plans on the night. “Oh, right.”

“So uhm, how was it?” Fred questions awkwardly with bared teeth. “As your friend, that’s what I’m supposed to ask you right?” 

A brief but awkward silence remained amongst the two of them as the sounds of the talkative students around them drowned it out.

“Look, honestly I was just being polite." Fred defended with his hands in the air, the sudden discomfort at seeing Hermione's startled face surging through him. "I don’t wanna know any more than you actually want to tell me-“

“Nothing, actually happened, between us.” Hermione revealed, cutting him off in the process as her cheeks flushed crimson red. “And that’s where we’ll end this conversation.” And she meant it. This was already awkward, beyond awkward, and normally the type of conversation she’d have with Alice, Mary or Sierra, plus, she was sure Fred or any other male friend or hers didn't want to hear about her sex life, or the potential of it.

A quick sigh of relief escaped Fred’s lips. “Copy that.”

They couldn’t remain serious for too long though, as they burst out into a fit of laughter over the awkwardness surrounding the discussion.

"So this fight-" Hermione begins, calming down from her laughter. "What caused it? Testosterone overload or what?"

"Well FP was-" Fred paused as he noticed through the window the young man in question at the corner of his eye stood at the upcoming bus stop. "Speak of the devil."

FP nervously stepped onto the bus shortly after, trying to mask the mild anxiety that came over him in that moment.

He nodded politely towards the bus driver before making his way down the path, quietly observing the students that occupied the mode of transport before his eyes landed on Fred and Hermione sat in the back with light inviting warm smiles on their faces before gesturing for him to join them.

FP responded with a light nod before making his way towards them.

"Monday morning blues?" Fred questioned as he acknowledged FP's slightly moody face.

"Nope." FP gumbles bluntly before leaning his elbow over the back of a seat. "This is what I always look like, school just emphasises it." He added with pursed lips. "So what's to expect from Prissy high?" He jested as he took his sight, fully expecting a high school in suburbia to be anything but exciting.

"Well there's no metal detectors, I'm guessing that's your idea of prissy." Fred teased. “But honestly, it’s best if we just tell all when we get to the building.”

And with that, the bus pulled up outside of Riverdale High soon after, and the three teens followed by the other young passengers excitedly exit the vehicle.

FP hopped off at the last step and casually swung his bag over his shoulder before digging his hands into pockets, calmly eyeing up the establishment. Just by the first appearance, he knew metal detectors certainly weren’t and issue at the school, everything looked so clean and pristine, it was nothing compared to your average inner city high school. No graffiti in sight, no gangs loitering in the hallways or parking lot, no vermin running around in the streets out front, just greenery and flowers, a concrete statue on the front lawn and students creepily well organised into established cliques, the football Jocks being the first to catch his eye, especially as Hermione abandoned he and Fred to greet Hiram, who was stood more or less in the centre.

“What is this, the douche brigade?” FP scoffed was he followed Fred into the buildings main entrance, their eyes remaining on Hiram, Hal and the rest of the jocks surrounding them and laughing and roaring up a storm. He slyly narrowed his chocolate coloured eyes at Hal in particular, still feeling a mild rage over their altercation on Saturday.

“Tell me about it.” Fred answered as his eyes rolled skywards and they made their way up the concrete stairs, slowing down once they reached the hallway.

“You’ve been assigned a tour guide, right?” Fred inquired as his gaze remained on FP.

He sucked on left cheek, slowly shaking his head before continuing to chew his gum with a slacked jaw. “I’ve gotta meet them at the front desk.”

“Oh. Well I guess I’ll see you at lunch then?”

“You can count on it.” FP smirked before turning the corner to begin his first day.

Meanwhile on the other side of the school, near the outdoor back entrance, discussions of Saturday nights events were in full swing.

“So let me get this straight, you’re seeing Tom Keller? But in secret, because-“ Alice questions Sierra as she strolls down the busy pathway outside in between her and Mary. The three were deliberately stalling, not wanting to get to registration so soon.

Sierra sighs, reluctant to reveal the reason behind she and Tom’s secret escapades. It was far more than complex than the girls could understand, and it killed her inside not being able to be honest with the two of them, Hermione included, but the potential drama that could arise from the situation just wasn’t worth it. “Because, it’s complicated.” 

Alice pursed her glossed lips forward in mild bewilderment before cocking her head. “Complicated how? Oh shit, he’s cheating with you?!” She gasps in amusement, finding the concept of Tom stepping out with Sierra very entertaining.

Mary’s eyes widened in slight horror as she spun her head in Sierra’s direction, shocked at the possibility of this revelation. She didn’t have Sierra down as the type. “Sierra? Seriously?!”

Sierra’s face turned to a mild shade of red, darting her eyes rapidly between her two friends and feeling on the spot. “W- well, actually-“

“As sexy and scandalous as this all is, you’re not cut out for the other woman role.” Alice bluntly interrupts, placing her manicured hand on her small exposed hip.

Not cut out for the other woman role? It was an oddly placed statement Sierra thought, one she didn’t know where would come from. “What do you mean?” She naively questioned, putting on a brave face.

“You’re too good for that shit. If he can’t claim you in public, don’t let him fuck you in private.”

Sierra’s soft brown eyes widened at Alice’s crude advice. “We haven’t even done anything yet!”

“Hmm. Interesting take.” Mary falsely compliments as she folds her arms in discontent, Sierra knowing all too well what was coming next and dreading the pending argument between the two feisty girls and their clashing personalities.

“Tell us, why can you never apply the same profound advice you give Hermione and Sierra to your own relationships?” Mary sassily snapped back, raising her arched brows as she did.

Alice frustratedly stopped on her tracks, turning on her black heeled sandals so fast her loose blonde curls swung over to her left shoulder. “Because my relationship isn’t relevant here, or your damn business.” 

“It was everyone’s business on Saturday night.” Mary spat back with a chuckle, cockily titling her head to the side.

Before Alice gets a chance to offer a witty comeback, Sierra steps between the two of them immediately. “Okay, you’ve both made your points. Let’s just stick to the topic at hand.” She pleaded, watching the two bickering frenemies calmly stand down. It didn’t matter the situation or where they were, Alice and Mary just had an unintentional habit of rubbing each other the wrong way. You’d think after ten years of friendship the four girls would to just ignore it but nope, that was never the case.

“What happened Saturday night?” Hermione asks as she creeps up from behind, leaning into Alice’s side and being met with excited squeals and an embracing side hug from a now happier Alice.

“Alice fucked Marty in the pool.” Sierra nonchalantly announced, earning a smack in the chest from Alice.

“You did what?!” Hermione gasps with beaming eyes, wanting to know as much as possible. “Jesus, what else did I miss?”

“I only did it to get back at Hal for Christ sake.” Alice defended frustratedly for the last time. This wasn’t her first occurrence of revenge sex that she had been so open about, so she didn’t understand why they were making the situation into such a huge deal.

With Mary and Sierra being in a different homeroom, the four girls split into two as the morning bell rang, Alice and Hermione making their way to the one side of the building and Mary and Sierra towards the other.

Alice and Hermione strolled through their registration room with their arms locked, making their way to their seats before Alice dropped a bomb on her. 

“Don’t act all innocent either.” She whispers to Hermione with a mischeivious smirk before running her tongue over her plush pink top lip.

Hermione's face feigned bewilderment and she slowly tucked her seat into her desk, confused by Alice's statement. Obviously she was referring to she and Hiram's disappearence on Saturday but what baffled her is Alice implying she had something to hide. “What are you talking about?”

“You and Hiram?" The blonde reiterates with an arched brow. "So what? You ride the ram till he couldn’t take any more?” Alice crudely questioned as the smirk on her face grew. Oddly enough, discussions of sex gave her some sort of entertainment.

Hermione cleared her throat, remaining glass eyed as she anxiously twisted her lips, watching Alice's anticipating face as she waited for the juicy details. This was much harder than it was with Fred.

"Welcome back Juniors, settle down please." Their home room teacher, Mrs Myer, demanded as she walked into the room mildly flustered as everybody present silenced themselves, much to Hermione's content at having to not continue her discussion with Alice. 

She roughly placed her purse onto the desk, digging through her unorganised papers and documents. Soon after the elder dark haired woman entered the classroom, FP waltzed in, double checking the number on the door to make sure he got the right room and gaining the attention of almost everybody present, one person in particular, a blue eyed, leather skirt clad, blonde haired person.

He cockily leaned against the doorway, chewing on his fresh piece of mint gum as he dug his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket.

"Ah! Class, we have a new student joining us." Mrs Myer grumbled as she flipped through a small stack of papers and pulled a sheet out. "Uhm-" She pulled the edge of her glasses down, squinting her eyes as she read the text. "Forsythe Pendleton Jones?"

Forsythe Pendleton Jones? Alice thought to herself. Quite a mouthful she thought, but intriguing none the less. It sounded refined and sophisticated, which she found ironic given how he presented himself.

"Just FP." He interrupts with a slight scowl. He hated his full name with a passion.

"Okay then, FP it is." Mrs Myer awkwardly responded. "How about you take that seat next to Alice?"

Upon hearing her name once more, he darted his eyes immediately towards her, locking them with hers as she tried to disguise the fact that she was squirming in her seat at his very presence and trying to hide it further with a mischievous flick of the corner of her mouth as she eyed him up.

Smugly biting the corner of his lip, he swaggered over to the seat next to her, keeping his eyes on her the whole time, even as he lowered himself into the chair before him.

Alice absentmindedly fiddled with her pink pen, shifting her sapphire eyes to her left to observe him closer with the sexy smirk still donning her face. She couldn’t help but acknowledge how intriguing he was to her and the same applied to him vice versa. 

Basking in his bad boy glory, she eyed him up and down once more. This was going to be an interesting year.

•••

The Bulldogs first football practice of the season had gone way over the time limit, which was a common habit of Coach Carson that his team found very irritating, and Fred had no problem making his complaints heard.

"Just for once I'd like to finish up on time." He exasperated as he limped and staggered through the locker room with an equally tired Tom on his tail. Start of semester drills were not very admired by the two.

He calmly rested onto the bench, lightly throwing his cleats onto the ground before leaning against the wall, clenching his eyes shut and trying to catch his breath. “What was Carson saying towards the end? I zoned out and missed it.”

Tom darted his eyes upwards, trying to remember exactly what was said to he and the rest of the team. “Oh, just something about recruiting new players for the semester. Hey, what about that new kid? The one you were with on Saturday?” Tom continued as he removed his shirt.

“FP?” Tom nods in confirmation. Fred pondered over the suggestion for a minute, pursing his lips in thought as he took FP into consideration. “He doesn’t really look like the football type, but I’ll ask him.”

Their moment of peace is interrupted by the rest of the Bulldogs practically storming and barrelling into the room roaring and cheering loudly over whatever frivolous topic they found interesting.

“Did you even fuck Hermione?” Hal crudely asks as he strolls through with Hiram in a friendly headlock, releasing him once they moved further into the locker room.

A look of displeasure crossed Fred’s once he heard Hal’s far too graphic words spoken.

“Do you guys ever talk about anything else?” He spat in frustration, their crude conversations regarding their sexual conquests starting to frustrate him.

“Someone sounds jealous.” Marty jested as he pushed right past Fred without a second thought to get to his locker and undress.

“Hermione’s like a sister to me, alright? So shut the hell up!”

“And that’s all she’ll ever be.” Hiram smugly mocks, watching as Fred’s expression falls blank and his fellow teammates laugh up a storm.

“Marty finally gets some and thinks he’s a big man all of a sudden.” Tom sneered quietly towards Fred, causing his mood to change a little.

The Bulldogs continue their discussion, unapologetically bringing up touchy subjects without considering the potential reactions.

“How would you know? Alice is probably the only pussy you’ve ever had.” Clifford Blossom questions Marty upon being approached with a certain prompt.

Marty smirk with a raised brow before continuing. “But probably the best too.” He brags, earning a few cheers and whistles from his teammates besides one. No one had noticed Hal in the corner, standing reserved behind his locker door desperately trying to remain calm as his widened jaw tightened at the mention of Marty and Alice having sex.

He was ambushed with memories of Saturday with everybody present at the party glaring at him in embarrassment and pity, feeling the control and power slowly slip away from him as his face flushed crimson red in fury. The insecurity he felt in that moment was unmatched.

“Hey Hal? How about some pointers for next time, huh?”

Marty barely got a chance to laugh at himself before hearing a locker door slam shut, and before he knew it, a hardened fist courtesy of Hal was making a connection to his face. He hit the floor in record time, completely shell shocked at Hal’s sudden outburst.

“Hal what the fuck-“

He pulled him up by the collar of his shirt and delivered another blow to Marty’s mouth, watching as blood slowly formed before going in again.

“Hal, get off of him!” Fred roared as he leapt over a bench, unable to watch Marty get viciously pummelled any longer. He grabbed onto Hal’s arms and attempted to lock onto them and pull him off but he was just too strong. “Jesus Christ Hiram, help me!”

Upon Hal delivering another harsh blow to Marty’s face and Fred’s yelling, Hiram shoved his way past the Bulldogs and gripped onto Marty, pulling him out from under Hal’s grasp and dragging him out, looking down at his bloodied and bruised teammate before helping him up.

Fred shoves Hal aside before glaring at him in disgust, along with the rest of the room. They were more than familiar with his uncontrollable temper, but he usually exercised it upon people they didn’t like, care for or the football teams from other schools whenever they were out in the field, but one their own? That certainly had their thick and untrimmed brows raising.

Marty’s eyes widened in fear and horror as he rubbed his bruising cheek before spitting out the dripping blood from his mouth. 

“What the hell is the matter with you dude?!” Hiram spat in a rage. 

“You’re fucking crazy Cooper.” Marty croaked out as he held his injured face.

Without missing a beat, Hal just immediately stormed out, no longer being able to handle the silent judging.

•••

The day had come to a close and night time had long dawned. And it was the perfect time for FP to smoke a well desired and well deserved expertly rolled blunt he had stashed at the bottom of his unpacked comic books box, the best place to hide away from his mother.

His grey sweatpants sagged slightly as he strolled over towards his open window with the pre lit joint hanging out of his mouth, allowing the cool breeze to lightly brush against his bare chest while he sparked it up.

Deeply inhaling the drug into his system, he thought back on his first day at Riverdale High, and how one particular new face intrigued him, and almost by chance, he was about to meet that same said face once more for today.

A female figure appeared out of the dark shadows in the trailer park, immediately catching FP’s golden brown eye. His lips curled into a mischievous and prospecting smirk as the figure revealed itself to be Alice.

She sauntered lightly across the wet grass with her shop lifted black stiletto heels in hand, wearing a fitting faux leather black dress that hugged her waist and hips and accentuated her fine figure. Her golden curls fell down over her right shoulder and she was glistening with sweat that caused her eyeliner and mascara to form small bags under her eyes, but she looked like a stone cold fox either way in his eyes.

Upon seeing the grinning new boy hanging outside his window, a budding smile crossed her partied out face as she approached her trailer, the one directly opposite his own.

“Hey neighbour!” FP called cockily with a arched brow. Finding out that she was her neighbour intrigued him much more deeply, if that was even possible at this rate. He thought being in the same home room with her was by chance but neighbours? That just added a new element of excitement and enticement.

“Hey, new kid with the weird name.” Alice responds before leaning back into her porch, her shoes swinging back and forth in her hand as she did. She wanted to get a better look at him, size him up properly as their first meetings were in occupied capacities, this was the first time they had been alone, and he was admittedly quite enthralling to her. Whether it was the mystery to him or the bad boy nature he exuded, it certainly got her going either way.

“Pretty late to be out by yourself.” FP pointed out, taking another drag from his joint.

She doesn’t acknowledge his question right away, and instead strolls over to his window, standing directly below him and gazing up into his chestnut brown yet red shot eyes.

“Can I get a hit of that?” She asks, her eyes directly moving towards the blunt.

He got the message, and slowly removed the roll up from his lips, his eyes remaining on her as he placed it in between his forefinger and thumb and handing it to her.

She took it to her pink lips, locking her eyes into his before taking a long hit, her eyes sensually narrowing on his before handing it back and releasing the smoke from her lungs directly onto his face, which he found so sexy.

“If you must know, I’ve just had a great night at the Wyrm.” Alice informed him before twitching the corner of her lips into a smirk.

He squinted his eyes briefly. “The Wyrm?” 

“Yeah.” She confirms with a nod. “Southside bar? About ten minutes from here? The neighbourhood hotspot?”

“Guess I’ll have to check it out.” 

“I guess you will.” She adds pursing her lips in intrigue before stepping back, but not before turning around once more and catching him glaring at her behind. “Oh! And welcome to Riverdale.”

A cocky and mildly aroused grin flashed over his features as he watched her saunter over to her trailer. The things this girl was doing to him were not healthy, and he was looking forward to exploring her inside and out.


	4. Maneater

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into Alice’s life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don’t forget to leave a review! They’re much appreciated

Alice relaxed herself at her vanity table, fresh faced, hair tied back into a loose bun and wearing only her black lace underwear, preparing to put her face on for the day.

It was one of the only things she had for herself in her cramped two bedroom trailer, which she shared with her mother, younger sister Penny and her stepfather Pete.

Growing up in a lower working class capacity, she never had much, not as much as she’d like and it had always pushed her to strive for more in life and desire so much, but despite all of that, she always knew she was special, from a very young age in fact.

Her mother Alicia, who gave birth to her when she was no older than she was and narcissistically named her after her had always instilled in her how beautiful she was, especially as she acquired most of her looks from the woman herself, only resembling her absent father very little.

Alicia was admittedly more like an older sister to Alice than a mother, constantly using her daughter to live vicariously through, from pushing a young Alice into beauty pageants to encouraging her to take up modelling, all hopes and dreams Alicia unfortunately couldn’t fulfill herself and had to let go of.

Much like any other girl her age, Alice was at times admittedly very self involved, always looking out for number one, always prioritising her looks above all and what she could get out of using them to her advantage. Every woman was guilty of doing it at some point, and unlike many girls and women she knew, she was much more upfront about it. She didn’t see any shame in fluttering her lashes to get a head start.

Alice had built up a reputation as the good time bad girl from the wrong side of the tracks yet people often failed to see her beyond that, because beneath the make up, short skirts, cigarettes and perfect hair was so much more, not that she was ashamed of that part of her but she didn’t particularly like being placed in a box. 

She knew she was beautiful, always had been and it was her greatest weapon, especially against the opposite sex. She knew she could manipulate any man in her presence with a simple hair flip or the sway of her hips or an inviting seductive smirk, and it proved to be successful many times over.

Did it lead to assumptions about her and complete strangers making up their minds about her and seeing her as one thing? Of course it did, but that was their problem, and she didn’t care, and never had. She was who she was and was unapologetic about it, and the way Alice saw it, she may as well benefit from their naivety and quick judgement.

A small and skinny hand reaching for the cosmetic brush on the table caught Alice’s attention immediately, and without second guessing she smacked it away, almost like a reflex move, before continuing to apply her eyeliner. “Fuck off Penny.” Alice hissed, continuing to apply her make up without giving her younger sister a second glance. It was times like this she prayed for her own bedroom.

“Ow!” Penny growled through her seething teeth as she tenderly rubbed her knuckles. "Mom?! Alice is being a bitch!"

Alice rolled her make filled eyes upwards, scoffing in frustration towards her sister. "Oh what? You're gonna snitch on me now?!"

Alicia entered the room seconds later, disgruntled, stressed and dressed in her work uniform with her replica Chanel purse hanging off her shoulder "What the hell is going on now?" She finshed with an unimpressed head tilt.

She'd always wished for girls but when that was granted and the novelty wore off, she was reminded of just how catty and argumentative girls could be and realised she was in for a rude awakening.

"Tell her not to touch my shit." Alice snapped, now with a full face on.

Alicia clenched her eyes shut and tightened her jaw, releasing a quiet groan from her mouth before running her hair through her blonde extensions and massaging her temples. "I've got a twelve hour shift ahead of me with seven appointments, I don't have time for this right now."

"She's not even using the brush!" Penny defended in a screech as she folded her arms across her chest. "What's the big deal?"

"Penny, just borrow mine." Alicia offered reluctantly, slowly rubbing her temples together and sighing. 

The 14 year old scoffed, unfolding her pale arms before storming out of the room, pushing past her mother on the way out and mumbling something rude, that just misses Alicia’s ears. 

Her focus shifted back to Alice, as the teen was now brushing through her blonde curly mane. She reminded her so much of herself at that age, it was like looking in a mirror.

Alicia calmly folded her arms across her chest, leaning against the doorframe. “You know missy, at one point you're gonna have to learn how to share." Alicia informed her in an exasperated tone before leaving.

"It's bad enough I don't have my own room, I've gotta share my make up too?!" Alice snapped, tutting immediately before furiously standing from her stool and strolling towards her closet and pulling out a emerald green halter top that stopped just above her pierced belly button, a pair of high wasted denim shorts and a pair of 4 inch black wedges.

She hated being angry at her mother, and didn’t wholeheartedly blame her for the family’s impractical living situation, she reserved most of that anger for her lazy, useless and dependent stepfather Pete Peabody, who surprise surprise, she found as she walked through into her living room, sat down peacefully in his armchair staring blankly at the TV without a care in the world.

The sight of him sat so idle everyday while her mother worked strenuous hours on minimum wage just to put food on the table infuriated her, and she honestly didn’t know what it was going to take for things to change. 

“Pete, when’s your disability check coming?” Alicia asked frantically with furrowed brows as she dug through her purse, clearly searching for something important.

He scrunched his wrinkled, dry and poorly shaven face in confusion, the years of alcohol benders, cigarettes and all it's effects being well displayed as his lips closed around the rim of the beer bottle in his mouth before pulling it out with the sound of a pop and turning around to his disgruntled wife.

"What? Why?" He groaned, his mouth falling agape as he waited for an answer

"Because the gas bill is late and I gotta pay it by the weekend or they're gonna shut us off!" Alicia spat before huffing and returning to her purse search. 

“Maybe if he got a job, we wouldn’t be late on bills and we’d be able to move out of this shit hole trailer and I’d have my own room.” Alice snapped sassily as she vigorously pulled a chair out from the dining table and aggressively slumped down into it.

“Don’t start this again Alice, I’m not in the mood.” Alicia warned with a stern finger pointing towards her daughter before turning her attention back to her husband.

“Pete?! You take my damn cigarettes?!” Alicia spat, her frustration that morning becoming more evident with every word she spoke.

“No!” Pete defended, almost in a childlike manor. If either of them had taken a second to just sit back and focus on their anything else rather than rowing 24/7, they’d had noticed the packet of Newport’s burning a hole in Alice’s back pocket, which she guiltily pushes down as she gave a sneaky glare to the bickering adults before taking the carton of milk on the dining table in front of her and taking a sip, trying to look as innocent as she can.

“Go ask Penny, she’s always going through your stuff.” Pete groans scoldingly, shifting in his tatty and battered armchair to continue watching television.

“Ratting out your own daughter? Classy.” Alice hissed before callously dropping the milk onto the table and rising from her seat. That was a low blow, even for him. Like Alice, Penny too was quite partial to swiping her mothers cigarettes, which Pete was well aware of, and yet somehow, didn’t seem to care that much.

Feeling another row coming on, Alice was up from the table in an instant. She refused to be stuck in joke of a household any longer than she needed to. It was feeling less and less like a home by the day.

“Mom, I’m out.” Alice grunted reaching for the door handle. “Don’t wait up.”

“Where are you going?!” Alicia demanded for know.

The blonde haired teen spun around once more, halfway out the door already and shifting her focus back to her disgruntled mother. “Just Mary’s, and maybe the mall.” 

“Say hi to Lydia for me.” Alicia called out once more before watching her daughter from the window walk down the porch and proceed down the street, missing the teen lighting a cigarette by seconds.

Mary lived on the Northside/Southside border in a small but practical 3 bedroom home. Her family wasn’t quite financially stable enough for the luxury of Elm Street or the Pembroke, but they had their heads high enough above water to not have to experience the level of poverty and housing as their Southside peers.

Remembering how much Mary’s mother hated the smell of cigarettes or the substance in general, being used in her home, Alice took one last long drag before briskly throwing the stick onto the ground over the porch and rang the doorbell, only to be met by the woman herself.

“Hi Lydia.” Alice politely greeted with a cheery smile. She had known Lydia Maiden most of her life so it came natural to her. “Mary in?”

“Good morning Alice." Lydia gushed, stood there in her yellow cleaning pinny and neon green wash gloves, a dryng cloth in hand as her dark sweat filled copper locks fell down her face out of her bun. "She's in her room, go right ahead." She encouraged, stepping aside to let the teen in.

"How's your Mom by the way honey?" Lydia questioned as she wiped the sweat of her brow.

Alice never knew how to answer that question truthfully, considering her mother appeared to be in constant distress or worked so often. "She's good." She told me to say hi."

Lydia gave a gesturing nod towards Alice as she made her way past her and up the staircase.

“Hurry up loser!” Alice bellows down the hall towards Mary’s room, not bothering to knock the door or even ask for permission to enter once she reaches her destination.

She clicked her platform heels against the hardwood flooring as Mary turned, highly unimpressed by Alice’s lack of manners and watching as the blonde casually strolled towards the her bed, carelessly leaping on top, leaning on her side and giving the redhead a smirk of mischief.

“Please! Come in! Take a load off.” Mary sarcastically spoke, followed by an irritated eye roll as Alice made herself more at home reaching for an abandoned magazine. “And where’s Hermione?” She was expecting the raven haired girl to walked in after Alice, so naturally she was surprised when she was nowhere to be seen, especially as it was her idea to hang out today.

“Cancelled.” Alice answered nonchalantly without looking her in the eye. “Some church shit.” She adds as she flips through a magazine. “Besides, it’s always easier to do a little freetail therapy without the presence of one of Gods children around.” Alice snickers as she pushed her tongue through her bright white teeth, giving Mary a grin of mischief.

The red head pulled back from her desk, turning to Alice with her brows knitted in a frown. She thought Alice's penchant for theiving was just a phase. “When you called, I thought you meant real shopping. It’s like you want to be a statistic.”

•••

“This bathing suit’s hot.” Alice complimented as she sized up the red coloured swim wear against her frame. 

It may have been quite a fashionable item but it was definetely out of her price range, as was everything else in the high end store she and Mary found themselves in.

Mary paused her shopping, shifting her focus from the clothing rack to Alice stood in front of her. “It’s September, but I guess it will work for the next time you screw someone in a public pool with half of Riverdale High watching.” The red head sassily jests.

Alice scoffs, snapping her head up from her chest and shooting an impressed glare Mary's way. 

“And I’d do it again.” Alice proudly spits with seemingly little remorse or regret, thinking back to the night as a cheeky smile crossed her face. “Seeing his privileged brick of a face drop when he realised it was me was totally worth it.” 

A giggle slipped through Mary's soft lips. “Yeah, you got him back real good. So classy of you.”

Alice's glossed lips curled into a cartoon villain like smile as she tilted her head over her shoulder towards Mary with a gleaming look in her eyes. “Classy is my middle name.” 

Alice always had a witty comeback on hand for everything, especially when she wanted to mask her feelings, but despite all of that, those closest to her could always see the right through the cracks of the facade she put up. 

Mary's face slowly softened as her eyes drifted towards a casualy nonchalant Alice shifting through the rack of clothes. “At the risk of sounding nosy, what’s going on between you and Hal now?”

“Oh, so now you give a shit?”

“It wasn’t that I didn’t give a shit.” Mary defended in a mocking tone. For once she wanted to have a serious discussion with Alice regarding Hal and wasn’t going to hide her concern in that moment. She had every reason to be too. Hal had never exactly given anybody a reason to love him as he had been trouble since elementary school. There was a justified reason behind his unpleasant reputation.

“I know I was a little insensitive before but I do care, I just have a less sympathetic way of showing it. So are you gonna get back with him?"

Her body stiffened at the question, hanging her head and slouching her shoulders, forcing herself to think about her next step with Hal fully, but not for long. "Doubt it.” Alice casually shrugged. “He's a selfish asshole, full of himself and he's not even that good in bed, I’ve had better." She spits. “And I might be too, but at least I’m self aware.”

A wave of relief of flushes through Mary as Alice’s words prove to be music to her ears. "Good, because, I've never liked him, he's always had an air of, douchebag to him. Even you can do better.” 

Alice had heard that little nugget of wisdom a few times before, recalling each person and each time they had said it, conveniently after Hal had screwed her over. 

She knew deep down they were all right. Her sister, Mary, Hermione, even Fred. They all had a valid point, but that didn't stop her stubborn self from dismissing their advice. As far as she was concerned, she was grown enough to make her own decisions and learn from them, she'd make up her mind about Hal in her own time.

"Hmm." Alice sighed in agreement before drifting her eyes towards the attractive dark haired store clerk opposite her. He had had his eye on her from the minute she entered with Mary. “Speaking of better." Alice added in a sultry tone, pursing her heart shaped glossed lips in the store clerks direction before curling them into a seductive grin.

Mary could feel the sexual tension and thirst practically radiating off of the two of them. Alice's roaring labido becoming more apparent and the store clerk practically drooling at the mouth as he grinned wider than a Chesire cat.

“Maybe we don't have to rob after all." Alice spoke suggestively as she slid her tongue over her teeth. 

Mary scrunched her face in annoyance. "Ugh, I’m going to pay." And with that, alone Mary left Alice, with nothing but her horny thoughts and menacing yet scheming ways and a desperate store assistant keeping her company.

Wrapping her red claw shaped manicured hands around the cool metal railing of the bikini rack and holding her lust filled plotting gaze on the dorky highly aroused man, she circled the furniture and sauntered over, ready to make her move.

“Find what you were looking for ma’am?” He asked her with a wide grin upon his corny face. was a flustered mess, his cheeks glowling a crimson red colour, practically drooling at his slack jaw mouth as he confidently straightened out his back,

She giggles politely, shaking her head and biting down on her plump glossed lips before pointing towards a beige faux fur coat in the window. "It's a little too pricey for me." She speaks in a child like tone in an attempt to soften him up a little, hoping it would help in getting her way.

"Sorry about that." He apologised in a hoarse tone as he took one step closer to her. “Shame, really. It’s a cute coat, would suit you.” He added suggestively before his narrow lips twitched up into a smirk.

This was too easy, she thought. Watching him succumb to her feminine wiles and how he had become wrapped around her finger in an instant. He was like a moth to her temptress flame, but she needed one more push to fully have him under her control, and then it hit her: The infamous hair flip. Without missing a beat she rolled her fingertips through her golden locks, sexily shifting it over her shoulder. Works every time. “Maybe, we can work something out? Pay in another way?”

It didn't take long before the two impassioned teens found themselves alone in the stock room with his poor quality khaki trousers hanging around his ankles and her tight skirt highly raised at the top of her thigh, shamelessly executing their high level sex drives and fulfilling each other’s needs.

•••

Alice had truly underestimated the immense level of pain brought on by wearing platform heels for any longer than an hour, and she learnt the hard way as she leisurely strolled down the dark and derelict streets of the Southside carrying a brand new faux fur coat in her shopping bag. 

She certainly wasn’t in any rush to return home, even with the heightened danger and gangs running amuck in the neighbourhood, naturally anybody would want to be indoors, safe and secure in the comfort of their own homes, but that meant something entirely different for Alice, home was more like a battlefield.

Needing to calm her nerves, she decided to indulge in a quick stress relieving smoke before returning, and as she sparked up the cigarette, a set of blinding lights on a black Mercedes came shooting towards her from behind, the roaring engine forcing her to turn around immediately and squint her sapphire blue eyes in its direction, only to recognise a seemingly distressed Hal relaxed into the front seat. This was all she needed.

A rush of fury surged through her before she impulsively stormed further down the street with a tightened jaw and permanent scowl upon her face, practically stomping her pained feet into the pavement as she quickened her speed, trying to get away from him. The nerve of him she thought, audacity of him to even show his smug Northside face in her neighbourhood like everything was fine between when it was far from it.

The revving of his engine picked up, getting louder the closer he got to her, slowing down once he was perfectly levelled with her position on the sidewalk. No matter how fast she walked, because there was no way she run in her shoes, he wasn’t far behind, and not even the sound of his windows rolling down got her attention.

Hal divided his focus between the road and the sidewalk, holding the wheel softly as his head shifted between the two.

“Get in the car.” He lightly demanded. His voice sounding softer than expected despite his mood.

“Get fucked.” Alice impulsively spat. No second guessing, no thinking about it. Her rage was uncontrollable at that point, and he got the message from her flushed face, baring teeth and stern pointing finger.

Hal tapped his callous enlarged fingers along the steering wheel impatiently, sighing deeply and rolling his head back into the seat. This was going to a long night. “Alice, I’m not asking.” 

A half hearted yet complacent smug escaped her lips. “Blow me.”

In an instant, his clenched fist came flying against the wheel, pounding into it as his frustration with Alice couldn’t be held in any longer. “Why do you always do this?!” It wasn’t like his bursts of anger or fury towards her were ever planned, but she somehow pushed all the right buttons in him, always unintentionally provoking him, and he tried with her, he really did, but sometimes she just went overboard.

“Just- five minutes. Please?” Hal pleaded once more in a nonchalant and casual tone, hoping it would force her to take him seriously. “Come on, just get in.”

Alice halts her fierce steps, taking a moment to finally look him in the eye to see his face switch from pure irritation out of antagonism to watching him softly plead for her time. She wasn’t going to give in that easily though, or even give him the satisfaction of thinking she was going to let his guilt trip change her. 

With the scowl on her face still present, she stormed over to the passenger seat side of the car, viciously opening the door and slumping back into the seat before slamming the door shut behind her. She wanted her feelings of aggravation and displeasure known. 

“What?!” Alice practically screeched directly at him.

“You seeing Marty?” Hal quickly grunt out, reluctant to say it out loud and refusing to look at her, but still wanting to rip the band aid off.

“What do you care?” Alice sassily questioned with an arched brow. “You jealous?”

“Just tell me Alice!” Hal roared unexpectedly, he really wasn’t in the mood for her games in that moment and he had no problem making that clearer than clear.

The grin that crossed her face as she was taunting Hal slowly began to fade as she felt the tension between them grow to a level of seriousness. “No, I’m not. Is that all?”

“Then why did you fuck him?!”

“I think you know why.” Alice snarled with narrowed eyes, staring directly through him in a managing manor 

He’d be lying if he said it didn’t take him longer than expected to figure out the root of what she did but some thoughtful pondering lead him to his answer. “To get back at me? Because of my parents?”

“Yeah!” Alice revealed boldly with a little nod of her head. “And I’d do it again.” She hissed once more, seeming to lack any sort of guilt or remorse as she leaned her elbow against the window. 

She slowly averted her gaze from Hal’s mildly disgusted face and out of the passenger window, staring aimlessly at the street lights opposite her as the events of that weekend flashed through her mind. “It’s like, I’m never enough for you, no matter how hard I try to be, you always throw it back in my face and so does your family. And it makes me feel like shit.”

“You couldn’t just key my car like a normal girlfriend? You just jump on the next dick in sight like a skank?” He scoffs, shaking his head in disapproval as her words went completely over his head. Truth be told, he couldn’t care less about how she felt because somewhere in his warped caveman like mind, she was the one in the wrong, despite he and his family treating her terribly. She was the one in the wrong for sleeping with another man despite the fact that the two had split up. She was the one in the wrong for pushing him to this vicious just by being the independent, fierce and daring woman she is and never bending to his whim. 

Because that’s what this was really about, his damaged ego and fragile masculinity that he attempted to elevate through her in more ways than one. She was a trophy to him, a conquest, a possession. The perfect girl to have on his arm and boast his status. He didn’t give a damn about her feelings or beliefs, this was all about getting his control and sense of superiority back that he knew he lost once he felt his big man on campus status slip after half the student body witnessed his girlfriend bone another boy and got roughed up by the new kid on the same night.

“Fuck you Hal!” Alice viciously growled, finally tired of his digs before attempting to exit the vehicle.

“Wait!” Hal panicked before grabbing a hold of her arm but loosening his grip once her eyes widened. If he wanted to do this right, he had to play the long game, along with some added mind tricks which he was no stranger to. “I’m sorry.” 

“Your sorry’s don’t mean shit any more.” She snapped back sternly, yanking her arm out of his grasp. “It’s the same cycle.”

He was prepared for this, so he pulled his trump card and reached into the back seat, retrieving a gift bag and handing it to her. “How about now?” He cockily asked, relaxing into his seat knowing he was one step closer to getting her back. 

A puzzled look donned her face as he rested the bag into her lap, shifting her eyes to the corner and glaring right at him for a millisecond before averting her gaze back down to the bag.

“Go on, open it.” He encouraged as he bit down onto his lip. 

Alice reached into the bag, lightly running the tips of her fingers along the box inside wrapped in a neatly tied black bow. She placed the box on top of the lap and lifted the top to reveal a brand new pair Christian Louboutin suede red bottom pumps staring right back at her, the very pair she had desired for months. Her eyes bulged open with a slight twinkle, gasping at the sight and admiring the heel and material. They were a beautiful pair of footwear, and she was truly touched by his gesture, but that didn't stop her remaining conflicted about taking him back. 

Hal took a hold of her hand, attempting to soften her up a little. He was rarely this tender with her, and the times he were she couldn't help but think back to when they got together. She couldn't deny the pull he had on her and the way he always managed to draw her in whenever he screwed up

“I’m gonna change, I swear.” He promises softly, watching her eyes turn innocent. “You know I don’t mean half the stuff I say, but you just make me so crazy at times I can’t help it.” His hand shifted to her chin, tilting it up slightly. “You know we belong together.” At this point, he was being totally disgenuine, just saying what she wanted to hear.

Alice finally looked up at him with questioning eyes. The truth was Hal was her first proper boyfriend, they had their ups and downs but their good moments outweighed the bad and that was good enough for her. He showered her with expensive gifts, he was obsessed enough with her, he was a jock and she was a cheerleader, and in her misguided mind it was perfection, the epitome of true love, but sadly, she wouldn't know true love if it slapped her in the face. Her troubled upbringing and screwed up examples she had witnessed growing up had given her a very skewered idea of it.

“I’ll think about it.” Alice spoke softly before preparing to exit the vehicle. He didn't say a word to her, just politely nodded as she stepped out and made her way home.

It had began to rain, just little drizzles as she appraoched Sunnyside trailer park, her feet still stinging from her heels, but the joy of her new pumps making it worth it and totally forgettable. Her landed on a pleasant surprise working under the hood of his mother's truck. There FP was, donning a white vest shirt covered in grease and sweat, his back and arm muscles flexing as he manouvered the tools around but seeming to get frustrated as there were no results with his mechanical attempts.

"Damn it!" He hisses, wiping a spanner clean before the sounds of Alice's clicking heels draw him in.

“Problem?” She teasingly jests, folding her arms tightly over her chest and poking her tongue in her cheek as she observed him in his masculine and undeniable sexy glory. His devilishly handsome qualities had her drawn to him the minute she set eyes on him, but this? With the added rugged and rough mechanic aesthetic, she just couldn't help herself.

A gleaming smirk crosses his face releasing a light chuckle as he ran his busy hands through his dark locks. “Nothing I can’t handle.” 

He looked her up and down, admiring how deliciously sexy she looked in her tightly fitted outfit and the way her slightly damp hair fell down over her chest and stuck to her face. He too was resisting the urge to make his feelings known. At this point, it was clear the two of them liked each other, they just did a pretty crap job of making it verbally clear. It seemed they just prefered the flirtacious games instead.

She happily placed her gift bags down and sauntered over to the vehicle, bending over and getting a closer look at what was going on, and she could practically feel his eyes on her rear end.

“Worn out engine bearings. Yeah, lack of lubrication is the problem.” She cockily revealed, it wasn't very often she got to show off her knowledge of cars and mechanics. 

FP was admittedly stunned, his eyebrows shooting up as he wiped his hands down with the rag. She was the last person he'd expect to be car savvy, he was expecting some sort of barbie doll character, but she seemed to surprise him yet again, and it was intriguing to him. 

“How’d you know that?”

“I’m more than a nice ass and a pretty face.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.” He confirmed with a chuckle.

She rose up from the hood and leaned back against it “I know what you meant. Because I’m a chick right?”

“How’d you learn?”

“My step uncle was a mechanic. Taught me a few skills here and there before he died.” Alice informed him.

The pouring rain began to pick unexpectedly, and the light sound of an upcoming thunderstorm broke them from their staring match of seduction.

"Guess I better get inside, I'm wet enough already." Alice disclosed in a hoarse tone, watching as his cheeks flushed red before teasingly turning around and moving towards her porch, swaying her hips side to side as she did.

A crooked grin appeared on his face upon hearing the innuendo she boldly spoke out, . "Mmhmm, I'm sure you are." He mumbled, watching her enter her trailer, the thought of her refusing to leave his mind.


	5. Bad Boys

The Riverdale High Bulldogs Football team. The royal monarchy of the school and top of the student body hierarcy, with their supportive cheerleaders, the Vixens falling right behind.

A certain level of respect was directed towards them by the rest of the student faculty, with their reputations being held up high on campus. They had everyone bowing to their whim, kneeling at their feet, praising them non stop. Everyone wanted to either be them or be with them, and life was a breeze at Riverdale High if you were part of their clique.

FP however, wasn't quite apart of that movement and he wasn't the only one on campus, but he was the only one who would gladly express it from the rooftops. He had the displeasure of knowing their true colours, and he wasn't one to follow the herd. So having Fred drone on and on about the pleasures and possibilities that came with joining the team, forcing him to actually consider it, was certainly unexpected.

“Give me one more good reason why I should sign up.” FP prompted Fred as the two stood casually against their lockers in between class, just quietly observing the busy students around them, in their own little worlds.

“Make some more friends? Build up your extra curricula’s for your college. Maybe feel like you belong?”

Fred was certainly making sufficient points with that final suggestion. Nearly a month at Riverdale high and FP still hadn’t quite settled, he related to very few people in town, feeling he had nothing in common with many of them, which made sense, he was a city kid after all, rough around the edges, from the wrong side of the tracks. 

He’d formed a little platonic partnership with Fred, but he wouldn’t go the route of friendship just yet. In the face of suburban society and traditional values and ideals, he felt he didn't belong. He lived for thrills, danger, excitement meanhwile these kids lived for milkshakes, park strolls and abiding by the rules. 

He did want to make an effort, try to fit in and settle, but he was adamant to get back to his roots, even if it meant disappointing his mother. So he figured, there was no harm in having the best of both worlds, and football was the perfect place to start, but he couldn't resist teasing Fred just a little longer.

“What makes you think I’m interested in Football? Maybe cheerleading’s where my true heart lies.”

“I can see that." Fred jokingly acknowledged. “Always pictured you in a skirt.”

FP shifted his eyes to his right, glaring at Fred with a slight unimpressed expression, but finding his comment funny deep down regardless.

“C’mon, you’re telling me you’re not the contact sports type? You got the body for it, nobody gets those muscles from being moody and mysterious all day.”

“Haha. Funny.” FP finally retorted, before being distracted by Alice strutting down the hall so effortlessly, wearing light blue washed jeans and black netted long sleeve shirt, practically radiating confidence. He liked that about her, but she wasn’t alone, Hal emerged from a crowd right next to her, holding her hand as they proceeded to class.

FP watched on as the couple came closer and closer into his eye line, Hal rocking his Varsity Blue and Gold football jacket like he owned the place, which theoretically speaking he did, and seeming more oblivious and douchebag energy radiating as ever. Alice innocently fluttered her long dark lashes, before averting her sapphire blue orbs in FP’s direction and giving him a brief friendly smile at the corner of her mouth.

It took him longer to reciprocate it, but he got there eventually. There was just something about her grin that soften him a little and made him unconsciously submissive, but the sight of Hal certainly forced him to switch back to his displeased and moody self.

Clearly the two were back together, running Riverdale High like the power couple they were, but FP couldn’t imagine why. Why in earth would Alice go back to him when she clearly knew her worth and was well aware of the fact that she was too good for him?

Was it about desperation? Guilt? But at the same time, why did he care? Was it jealousy? Was it simple discomfort? Was he falling for Alice Smith? What did this mean for the two of them and their blatant underlying sexual tension? 

Well, he didn’t have a clue just yet, but at the same time, it made him think twice about Fred’s football question. Maybe he was in the mood for contact sports after all.

“You know what? Fuck it. I’m in.” FP chirped as he closed his locker.

“Seriously?!” Fred exclaims, swinging his bag over his shoulder before making his way down the hall for the he and FP’s next class. “Cool, I’ll tell Coach we got potential new talent and we’ll meet him after school.”

FP casually agreed, giving nothing but a simple nod. He wasn’t going to lie, Football was never a key aspiration for him or even a simple thought, but prompted by Fred’s encouragement and suggestions of extra curricular activities, his mother’s words of making a making a new start played on a loop in his head, and perhaps it was time to assimilate to suburban culture once and for all.

The two stepped into dimly lit, cluttered and if slightly chaotic English Lit classroom filled with rowdy and chatting students awaiting the arrival of their teacher.

As FP swaggered inside, making his way to his desk, the first sight that caught his attention was of course Alice and and Hal, sat in the second row, kissing one another and drowning out the discussions of sports, sex, tv and music from their fellow classmates, 

The clicking heels close by in the hall and sharp shut of the class room door, pulled everybody out of their thoughts, focring them to shit their eyes in the direction of the noise to find their teacher, Mrs Dawson, finally make an appearence.

"Settle down everybody." She sighed as she hurried to her front desk, resting a pair of books on top before picking up the top copy and presenting it to the class.

"So, The Taming of the Shrew, is anybody here familiar with the play?"

The silence amongst everybody was deafening, followed by a few awkward whistles and masked chuckles.

Mrs Dawson slowly stepped closer to the row of front desks, eyeing up the students across the room beofre landing on a reletively new face.

"Ah, FP is it?"

Suddenly alert, and shifting his eyes up from the pen he was scratching into the wooden desk, FP's eyebrows raised coming face to face with the front.

"How about you start us off, read the first page, and then we'll have Hal, Hiram and Tina." She finished with a brief smile

"No, I'm good." FP answered abruptly, anxiously moving his eyes back his desk before gulping.

"Nonsense." Dawson spoke before placing the book in front of him. "It's only a few paragraphs."

The minute FP's eyes came into contact with the text, all focus and control was suddenly lost. The words became distorted, the letters switching from place and expanding in an out. 

He swallowed constantly and his lips screwed into a grimace while he fidget with his fingers, the added pressure of the silence and eyes all gaping at him as they awaited his opening of the famous play finally getting to him.

"I said no, alright?" FP blurt out with a hint of fury, staring Mrs Dawson up and down with a forming scowl upon his face. "Ask one of the other dorks in here."

"Aww, what's wrong?" Hal began to taunt. "They didn't teach you how to read at that inner city slum you came from?"

Hal's sudden cruel comment prompted mild laughter from his posse around him, earning a sharp rage filled glare from FP as he tightened his fists.

"What was that Cooper?" FP asked him as if daring him to repeat it. He slowly stood from his seat and stormed over to the wretched football player, taking great pleasure in the shift in facial expression as FP got closer to him and without missing a beat, his fist came into contact with the Bulldog's jaw, earning gasps and screams from the rest of the class as Hal fell to the floor.

However, the Bulldog wasn't going to take it lightly, and abruptly got up on his feet and charged for the leather clad boy, the two of them falling to the floor in the midst of the yelling and cheers from their fellow students.

Hal tried and failed to get a decent punch into FP as they practically wrestled around on the floor.

"HAL! FP!" Mrs Dawson practically screamed. "Calm down!

But he was no match for FP and just couldn't get the upper hand, resulting in another face pound.

"Get off of him!" Alice pleaded in frustration as she watch her boyfriend get pummeled.

The two were finally separated and sent to the principal's office. Not a great start to the day.

...

FP’s regular visits to Pops diner usually encouraged a feeling of joy within him, he was a foodie after all, but today? Those familiar feelings were practically non existent as he saw the disappointment and mildly angered look on his mother’s face as she stood behind the counter with her hands on her hips and a threatening scowl upon her face.

"Hey Mom." FP grinned with a charming and cheeky smile as he stepped closer to his 

"Don't, Forsythe." Fiona spat fiercely as she briskly tied her apron around around her waist to continue her shift. She was trying her hardest to hide the bubbling rage within her. “A fresh start, we said, remember? And yet I'm getting calls from your principal about you pummeling some kid?!"

Hearing his mother detail the earlier events out loud forced a feeling of guilt to surge through him, despite feeling quite proud and smug with himself once he had caught a glimpse of the damage her did to Hal's face when the angry Bulldog left the principal's office following his seemingly stuck up parents.

"Featherhead made it sound worse than it was." He grumbled with slight regret before spinning the red leather chair around and taking a seat at the front counter. 

He rested his elbows on top, clasping his calloused hands together as he listened to his mother ramble on.

"Oh! Well then, what was it like? Enlighten me Forsythe?" Fiona fiercely prompted with gaping eyes.

"I threw like, two blows, big deal." FP nonchalantly shrugged, pursing his lips with with a hint of innocence showing very little remorse.

Fiona's lips slighty parted as she furiously narrowed her eyes towards her son. His callous attitude towards this situation, and it only stirred up memories of the experiences she had with his father. The same carelessness, the same pout of the lips as he raised his shoulders. All the fears and worries she had suppressed and subsided over the years of FP turning out like his Father suddenly resurfacing. 

"Your father had that same mentality." Fiona absentmindedly mumbled, startling FP in the process.

"Are you comparing me to that scumbag?" FP gasped wide-eyed in disbelief.

Fiona's cheeks blushed crimson red, the sudden realisation of her words hitting her and immediately regretting it. The Forsythe Senior comparison wasn't Fiona's intention, far from it, it was merely a sentiment on how FP could be travelling down the same violent dark path as his Father. 

"Oh God, no-, that came out wrong-"

"I'm nothing like that piece of shit-" FP argued adamantly with a stern finger. 

"I know honey." Fiona pleadingly corrected, holding her hands out and taking a hold of his mildly flailing wrists. "I didn't mean it like that-"

"I beat up a kid who's been messing with me since we moved here." He ranted with conviction, gesturing a fierce finger to his chest. "I don't knock innocent women around because they didn't wash the dishes."

The second the instance with her ex was uttered out of FP's mouth, Fiona's expression dulled and her face contorted in discomfort before softening it and glaring at a very ashamed and regret filled FP. This was what she wanted to avoid, the affects of her former husband manifesting through her and FP, but it seemed he just happened to be a stagnant and negative presence, even from beyond the grave. 

"I'm sorry, Mom." FP uttered as he clenched his eyes shut and released a deep sigh.

"No, it's okay." Fiona nonchalantly assured him. "You're right, you're nothing like him, I raised you better than that, but these violent outbursts, this is where it starts, and I'm worried you're going to end up on the wrong path."

FP smiled sympathetically as Fiona clapsed his hands with her own. 

"I want better for you, I always have. That's why we moved back here, I don't want to see you throw your life away."

"I know." FP confidently nodded, taking his mother's wise words in. 

"I want to see you graduate high school, with a squeaky clean record." She jested with a smile. "I want you to go off to college, get an amazing job, travel the world, meet a nice girl and settle down and give me tonnes of grandkids, the whole white pickett fence American dream." Fiona expressed, smiling with pride as she pictured what her future grandchildren would look like.

He didn't wanna let her down or ever disappoint her. She'd sacrificed so much, given her all to provide him with the best she could and all the opportunities she never had with so little, from giving birth to him at such a young age, having to marry his father for some adequate stability, constant financial strain, escaping his father with practically nothing, putting her life on hold to raise him the best she could with so little. He could never repay her for it all.

"Might have a mean right hook, but I have my limits." FP responds. "And trust me Mom, you'll never have to worry about me letting you down, I swear."

"Promise me, that is your last fight." Fiona pleade, leaning forward with steady eye contact. "Promise me you'll stay out of trouble."

"I promise."

"Good." Fiona chirped, attempting to pinch his cheek and laughing as he backed away. She always found amusement in doing so, the embarrassment and surprise on his face was always worth it. "I'll get you a milkshake, even though you don't deserve it."

"Chocolate!" He yelled out as she walked down the counter towards the dairy machine

"I know!" She giggled.

As he tapped his fingers along the table, waiting for his beverage while his mother handled another customers request, he spotted two men outside at the corner of his narrowed chestnut brown eyes, and whatever the two were engaging in, certainly looked sketchy.

They weren't familiar in the slightest, but their clothing was. The leather waistcoats with studded patterns, the bandana's wrapped around their rather enlarged heads, the skulls patterns printed on their shirts. They dressed like fops in his opinion but he could tell they had a mean streak.

One was rather tall, roughly 6'4 at most, with sandy blonde hair, burly muscles and a scar on his face, practically pushing the other into the direction of the alleyway, prompting him to leave the diner and follow after them.

He stopped at the corner, holding onto the wall as he listened in on their strong discussion.

"And that's the 1964 right? Don't screw with me on this one."

The olive skinned brunette one handed him a set of keys with a look of mischief across his face. "Relax. That Blossom hag never shuts up about it."

FP's eyes widened in astonishment as he watched the taller leather clad man hand the thief a rather large sum of cash in exchange before watching him skip off around the corner, passing the stolen red vehicle in the process.

It was like the sight of all that money forced his mother's prior words to play on repeat in his head. He did want to make his mother proud, he didn't want to disappoint her, but college and good future didn't come cheap.

"Hey?!" FP called out quietly as he appraoched the startled gang member. 

He tilted his head FP's way, a tight scowl donning his mildly angered face. "Hey what?" He fired back as he shoved the keys into his inside pocket.

"Nice chevy you got there." FP complimented with pursed lips, closely admirring the vehicle from a distance.

"What's it to you? Gonna squeal?" 

"Nah, I'm no rat-" FP smugly added with a shrug, shoving his hands into hsi pockets before leaning into the wall. "But doesn't mean I don't love cheddar."

"So? What is it you want from me?" The gang member rhetorically questioned with the corner of his lips curled. It was very rare that he was propositioned in regards to his "business"

FP wasn't going to sabaotage his acedemic future, all he needed to do was graduate and get accepted into college, but he wasn't going allow his mother to slave away to provide this grand future either. He wanted to take charge of things for once in a while, and if it meant getting into an odd bit of trouble outside of Riverdale High and making money on the side to help Fiona, then so be it. 

"I want in." FP stated naturally. "The cars, the cash? Let's just say I know people, and this hick town gets a little boring after a while, so I'm just looking for a thrill. That's what I want."

...

His nightly cigarette had become quite a tradition since he moved to Sunnyside trailer park. His bedroom window was at a perfect position that looked out towards the night sky and over the town lights, it was one of the most idealistic sights to get high to, and he appreciated the silence and tranquility it brought him. 

Another tradition? Seeing Alice waltz don’t the grass late at night, from God knows where, and make her way to her trailer, and just like clockwork, there she appeared, hopping out of a fancy black jeep with a flattering smile on her face. 

He watched her closely as she sauntered around the front of the vehicle as it prepared to leave, and proceeded to her front porch as it did.

The closer she came, the further he shifted his gaze, damn near twisting his neck out of place.

“Taking a break after hitting my boyfriend.” Alice spat as she approached him, her tone laced with attitude as her neatly shaped eyebrows furrowed and she folded her arms over her mildly exposed chest. The added sassy head tilt already told FP she wasn’t very much impressed with his little spout of violence earlier in the day, and that anger she had felt when he was practically dragged out of the classroom along with Hal hadn’t subsided.

“He’s a dick!” FP unapologetically replied before hopping off his window ledge and taking the few steps needed to be face to face with her. “Should count himself lucky I didn’t knock his perfectly whitened teeth out.” He added before taking a drag of the cigarette in his mouth. 

His domineering presence over her made her heart race as she stared into his cocoa brown orbs, feeling the tension between them build up as their bodies came inches into one another.

“He’s not that bad.” Alice whispered softly as she glanced down at his plump lips for a flash, before connecting her eyes with his own again.

"That's why you had sex with somebody else to humiliate with?" He snapped back with a smirk and raised brow, still holding her gaze.

Alice's ocean blue iris' had him lose his train of thought for a second. He had never noticed up close but her eyes really were mesmorising, almost as if they stared right into ones soul. They were probably the most stand out feature of hers, and all he could think about was how nobody probably noticed them the way he did.

"That's none of your business." Alice cocked her head to the side, holding her arms over her chest as her red lips twisted into an almost sexy smirk. "That's none of your business, Forsythe." She said sassily in a hoarse voice.

“I’m not gonna judge you Alice, but, just watch yourself around him.” FP advised, trying to supress the concern in his voice before circling her and making his way down the street. 

FP didn't trust Hal one bit. He felt it within him and his gut was never wrong, and as Alice glared on innocently as he left her presence, she couldn't help the little feeling of uncertainty that surged through her.


	6. The Lake House

Another academic week had blissfully passed by, a week Hermione Gomez had been anticipating the weekend that followed, even more so now as she began to pack with Alice, Mary and Sierra all present in her room.

Three days alone with Hiram, escaping the chaotic town and enjoying some much needed peace and solitude, and possibly much more, up in his family's prestigeous four bedroom lake house, if only that was what she had told her parents, who were under the impression that she was preparing for a junior church retreat upstate.

Nevertheless, Hermione hiding the majority of her social endavours was just the norm in the Gomez household.

Born into a devout Catholic family, she had learnt from a young age to keep certain parts of her life to herself and how to bend the rules every now and then and make things work in her favour. It’s just one of the things parents of a stricter nature fail to acknowledge and share when discussing their parenting, that their methods most times creates expertly sneaky and secretive children who can hide so much.

Fortunately for Enrique and Regina Gomez, Hermione wasn’t a complete teenage tearaway or a wild child, she would just dabble in some mischievous behaviours every now then like every teenager in town, although she knew kids from her family’s church who made Alice look like a nun. 

But despite all this, she still followed the Catholic faith, attended Church every Sunday, prayed often, sought God in her most dire times. She may not have necessarily followed it in the traditional sense, nor did she believe in all its teachings and values but the same applied to many Christians across the globe, and she didn’t think it made her any less of a good Catholic woman, her parents however thought very differently.

Their worlds and environments were the complete opposite after all. Her father, Enrique Gomez immigrated from Mexico in the late 60s, along with her three uncles and aunt when they were all not much older than she was, and he had worked hard, tooth and nail from a young age to provide for his family and give them everything, hence why he’s the successful businessman he is today. He lived by the old saying of working hard gets you far in life and attributed his success to keeping his head down, staying focused and never being lead astray in his youth, and he instilled those traditional values into his daughter. 

Unfortunately, this just lead Hermione to feel pressure to live up to her parents standards, and being an only child added to the pressure to not disappoint, but she was a product of her environment, and sometimes she felt she was in a constant battle with herself, having to pick between being the ideal Catholic girl and the typical Western American teen.

“You’re not taking that, are you?” Alice asked in hidden disgust, her top lip flaring up and her brows furrowing together as she eyed up the black velvet long sleeved cleavage covering dress Hermione held to her chest. 

She was normally the fashion forward go to girl that had people queuing up around the block for style advice, seeing as her wardrobe was a little less traditional for the average 17 year old girl, but she knew a major outfit disaster when she saw it.

The blonde beauty threw down the magazine she held in her hand and waltz over to the mildly disgruntled brunette. 

“It screams virgin.” Alice expresses bluntly, with very little remorse.

“I am a virgin, Alice.” Hermione condescendingly rebutted.

“Doesn’t mean you have to showcase it.” Slipping past the puzzled brunette, Alice stepped into her walk in closet, flipping carefully through Hermione’s prestige, high quality fashion threads and pondering on best ones, before finally coming across a fitted knee length red satin dress with an exposing V neck line. It was certainly to Alice’s liking.

“Here, try this one.” Alice chirped as she held the dress up against Hermione’s body, prompting her to take it. “Hot right?”

Mary pulled her lips into a curiosity filled smirk, standing firm from Hermione’s dressing table chair and casually approaching the two girls at the closet door. “Yeah, if you’re working the poles at the Whyte Wyrm.” Mary sassily interjected, earning a cushion smack from Alice.

Sierra, who had been leant against the wall, absentmindedly listening to their conversation while her mind lay elsewhere, plagued with her own private thoughts, shifted her glance towards the trio upon hearing the mention the dress, twisting her lip awkwardly and snapping herself back mentally into the room and beginning to briskly move towards them. 

“Besides it’s not hers anyway, it’s mine.” Sierra croaked shiftily, taking the dress out of Alice’s hand and turning around, feeling the girls eyes bore into her from behind.

“Exactly.” Hermione confirmed. “She’s always leaving her stuff here. Not that I wouldn’t be grateful for the loan, but it’s just not my style.” Hermione kindly dismissed.

The dress wasn’t necessarily Sierra’s style either, and given the sudden silence amongst the girls and questioning and concluding faces upon Mary and Alice’s faces, they had obviously realised why the silky seductive number was in Sierra’s possession in the first place, to either catch the attention or arouse a mystery man in her life. 

The talk of boys and relationships that occurred amongst them all did often have Sierra on the edge of revealing all about her love life and the romance that had her so secretly smitten, but it was early days, and far more complicated than Alice, Hermione and even Mary could ever understand.

“Who’s the lucky guy?” Alice gushed, confirming Sierra’s thoughts all in the same breath.

“No! No way! Not jinxing it.” Sierra playfully bellowed, stuffing the red dress into her large purse, adamant that she wasn’t going to speak another word on the topic. “Besides, we’re here for Hermione, aren’t we?”

“Fine, I get it. Mind your own business Alice.” The blonde sassily mimicked. “I’ll back off.” Alice donned a satisfied smirk as she leaned against Hermione’s firm mahogany bed post, her cropped netted shirt and white under vest rising up her porcelain slim frame and revealing her diamanté piercing and hip bones. "Finally gonna ride the ram then?" She joked, biting down on her glossed lip and suggestively raising her brows.

“Wait, that’s why you’re going?” Mary intervened awaiting confirmation, shifting her eyes in Hermione’s direction. “He’s not pressuring you, is he?”

"I’m not going away to sleep with him.” Hermione shut down in exasperation, adding a playful eye roll as she continued to pack her clothes lazily into her Louis Vuitton overnight bag. “It’s just, for some alone time, you know, a break." She added, her voice laced with some uncertainty.

She wasn’t entirely sure how to respond to either question if she was being honest. When Hiram proposed they head up to his parents lake house, his sweet words and the way he delivered it was so swaying that she did genuinely believe it was nothing more than a mini break, but on deeper thought, she was beginning to wonder if Hiram had other weakly implied intentions for their getaway that she had failed to pick up on. These scenarios of teens going away to swipe their V cards without having to worry about being caught out by their parents happened in enough on TV and in movies right? Not that the idea of losing her virginity to Hiram hadn’t crossed her mind, and she been considering it, but whether she was completely ready was another matter.

The sound of Hiram’s highly obnoxious car horn blaring from outside as he pulled up drew all four girls out of their thoughts. Sierra shift the royal purple satin curtains aside to confirm Hiram’s arrival before turning Hermione’s way and giving her brief grin. “Looks like lover boys here.”

With Sierra’s confirmation, the four proceeded out of the bedroom and down the gaping pearly white hallway of the Gomez house, approaching the round marble staircase to see Regina stood at the bottom with a glass of red wine in her hand, eyeing up her daughter and her friends as they finally reached the downstairs hall.

“You’re leaving already mija?” Regina questioned before taking a sip of her beverage, unaware of the fact that Hiram had finally arrived.

Hermione’s cocoa brown eyes widened nervously, tightening her glossed lip as she looked her mother in the eye. “Yeah, Hiram’s waiting outside to drive me and he's crazy about avoiding traffic so I better get going.” She confirmed in a slight croak practically making a beeline towards the door with Alice, Mary and Sierra hot on her trail and looking just as anxious. 

“See ya Mrs G!” Alice politely waved, followed by Mary and Sierra.

Of course Regina was unaware of the fact that Hermione wasn’t going to a Church retreat, but Hiram hadn’t been let in on the little decoy plan Hermione had cooked up, and with that unfortunate instance, a conversation between the two that would begin with Regina leaving the house to greet Hiram, could very much result in her mother accidentally stumbling upon that revelation, which Hermione had to avoid at all costs.

“I’ll call you when I get there, love you!” The flustered raven haired beauty rambled as she unlocked the front door, practically zooming over the threshold and down the driveway.

“Make sure you do!” Regina chirped out once more, waving off her daughter and friends as they calmly exit one by one.

A mutual sense of relief is felt through the young women as soon as they step out onto the rounded concrete driveway, making their way to the front towering iron gates of the Gomez manor, eyeing up Hiram's car parked right out front

“Shit, that was close.” Alice expresses with gaping eyes before darting them to the side in annoyance and gripping the side of her waist. 

"Tell me about it." Sierra agrees. "I love Regina but she can talk anybody's ear off if they let her and Hiram would've definitely let slip."

Glaring down at the neatly trimmed grass below her, Hermione nodded in agreement, anxiously baring her teeth. “Yeah.”

“Well you better get going, lover boys waiting.” Mary encouraged with a faux smile.

Patience appeared to get the better of Hiram, as he slammed his hand against the wheel once more, eliciting a louder noise from the horn.

"Calm the fuck down!" Alice hissed, gritting through her teeth before shamelessly giving him the finger.

Hiram quickly exit the vehicle in a huff, circling the bumper and proceeding towards the gang, earning not so friendly reactions from each of them.

"Ladies." Hiram greeted with a lack of enthusiasm, placing his hands in his pockets as his faux tight smile began to fade. The irritation he felt becoming more apparent to the three, who didn't seem to care at all.

"You know if the wind changes, your pretty face will stay that way, right?" Sierra cheekily taunted, tilting her head to suppress the buidling laughter within her. Winding up Hiram was so easy, and she, Mary and Alice found took so much pleasure from it.

Hiram released breathy chuckle, staring down beneath him before meeting Sierra's bright brown eyes once more. "I guess you would know all about that, wouldn't you"

"Can we reserve the teasing for Monday, and make a move?" Hermione frustratedly demands, her widened cocoa orbs darting back and forth between her boyfriend and the troublesome threesome. 

Without missing a beat, she pulled her bag up to Hiram's chest before shoving it against him and taking him by surprise. He got the message accepted it, carrying it to the trunk and then returning to his drivers seat as Hermione hopped into the front.

Leaning over the wound down passenger window, a mischeivious grin donned Alice features as she locked eyes with the irritable raven haired beauty pulling roughly onto her seat belt. "Don't forget to use protection.” She whispered with a smirk, earning a reddened flushed face of embarrassment from her.

Finally clicking the device into lock, Hermione turned her flustered face towards Hiram, who had seemed abandoned the grumpy growling and adopted a seduction filled smile instead, most likely prompted by Alice's comment.

"What's that look for?" Hermione asked him with beaming eyes.

“Can’t I just look at my sexy girlfriend?” 

Hiram flicked the corner of his mouth to the side as he snakes his free arm over her smooth olive skinned shoulders, his entire expression implying wild suggestions that Hermione got the jest of, forcing her to hold a tight and reserved smile. It was becoming more and more that Hiram did in fact have deeper intentions for the weekend.

Alice, Sierra and Mary remained at edge of the side walk, calmly waving the loved up pair off as they blissfully drove off down the street.

“I know he’s a little on the intense side-“ Sierra began, holding her gaze on the vehicle as disappeared off into the distance. “But he seems so perfect for her.”

"Ugh, what is it with you guys and men?” Mary scoffs playfully, folding her arms across her chest and tilting her head to the side. “You don't need them to be happy."

“Whatever virgin.” Alice mocks before turning on her heel to proceed down the street. “Anyway, I’m going to catch a ride myself." She added suggestively before sauntering down the street, leaving Mary and Sierra alone.

Roughly two hours after leaving Riverdale, the loved up pair arrived at their luxury home for the weekend. The smell of lake water, pinewood and wilderness air was strangely refreshing to Hermione, considering she was expecting pure outdoor squaller but was pleasantly surprised to see the two story grand home sat at the edge of a mountain looking over the entire lake and landscape, the change of scenery from small town suburban Riverdale surprisingly brought a pleasant feeling through her.

She was startled and pulled away from her home gazing when Hiram snaked his hands around her waist from behind, resting his head upon her shoulder.

"How many rooms does this place have?" She wondered out loud, her bright excitement filled cocoa brown eyes still fixed onto the grand Lodge cabin as she stepped closer towards the front porch, taking Hiram's hand in hers and pulling him along through the double doors and entering the fancily furnished and renovated living area, finding a freshly lit fireplace and being met with the scent of burning wood and oddly cinnamon, which they put in the back of their minds once their luggage was placed down.

"Five." He bragged in delight as he nuzzled his nose through her hair. "Including two and half bathrooms and an ensuite, and my Dad got a home entertainment system put in place a few months ago, not that we'll be seeing much of it anyway.” He grinned against her soft neck, taking in the smell of her designer fragrance as his chin rested firmly on her shoulder.

She giggled in slight discomfort as she felt him groan against her skin, knowing he was blissfully unaware of her uncertainty, just calmly going over in her mind of how she and what she was going to say to him, until what sounded like footsteps.

She immediately pulled back out of his grasp, startling and worrying Hiram as her gaping eyes darted up towards the ceiling and mild fear filled look graced her features. “What was that?”

“What was what?” 

The sound was heard again, only this time, the thudding was louder and more so in a rhythm. This definitely wasn’t the wind, the boiler or a fallen ornament. It was clear the two weren’t alone.

“That!” Hermione hissed in a worrisome tone, gritting her teeth directly in Hiram’s face, not wanting to possible intruder to hear them.

Hiram took Hermione’s concerns more seriously then, forcing him to enter protective mode. He glanced his worry filled glassy eyes in a flash around every corner of the room in search for a weapon, or at least a decent substitute, but all that was available was his mother’s classic brass candelabra above the fire place, earning a strong expression of confusion from Hermione.

“What are you doing? Just call the police!” She spat following behind him as he creeped towards the stair case.

“And we could be dead by the time we get a signal. You really wanna take that chance?” Hiram questioned condescendingly.

The pair’s heart rates raced as they tip tied further up the wooden hill, their minds racing with every possible unfortunate outcome from tackling this potential intruder. Finally reaching the upper landing, they carefully followed the sounds of bouncing bed springs, along with a faint sound of the television, and it was coming from the master bedroom.

With Hermione short on his tail, Hiram reluctantly stepped closer towards the front door, he and Hermione’s panicked breaths releasing quickly and becoming shallow. They had wasted enough time preparing for the moment, so they silently agreed with a brief nod, it was time to rip the band aid off.

Bursting through the bedroom door, the two began screaming fearlessly, Hermione remaining as close to Hiram as possible, before their eyes landed on the familiar intruder laying across the bed in his simple tight red vest and boxer shorts, surrounded by an absolute mess of worn and dirty clothes and food bowls while the television played sitcoms on repeat.

Shocked by the unexpected guest, he sprang up off the bed in fear, but the fear soon turning to embarrassment as he took a moment to register who the surprise visitors were.

“Hector?!” Hiram blurt out in confusion and disbelief, dropping the candelabra out of his hand as he tried his hardest to regulate his breathing.

The burly and muscular yet pretty faced man sat on the bed opposite the two of them suddenly displayed glistening eyes, chuckling off the brief scare moment before smiling. “Surprise bro!”


	7. K-I-S-S-I-N-G

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW:// Covert and implied homophobia

TW:// Covert and implied homophobia 

The sounds of the distant nature from outside and the propelling ceiling fan that sat directly placed above Hiram filled the large room, masking the deafening awkward silence between the three as they quietly lounged back in the expensive caramel brown Chesterfield circular couch. Hermione sat in a tight and reserved position next to a clearly frustrated Hiram, trying her hardest not to question or bring attention to his fury filled face as he served a narrow glare his brothers way. 

Hector appeared to be totally oblivious to his younger brothers attitude, continuing to smile brightly and radiate a rather welcoming energy for the two with his warmth and flamboyance, either that or he was just clearly naive. It was clear to Hermione, as she darted her cocoa brown eyes back and forth between the two siblings that there clearly wasn’t a lot of love lost, and Hector’s presence certainly wasn’t welcome either way. 

“What the heck are you doing here?” Hiram spat, finally breaking the awkward silence and tension between them all. “Aren’t you supposed to be in New York?”

A stunned Hector finally locked eyes with his younger brother, his small glossed lips parting as he processed the prompt, swiftly trying to come up with a lie or distraction at least. The reason behind his unexpected visit to his family’s secluded lake house need not to be disclosed for now, Hiram still needed to process his appearance. 

“You not gonna introduce me to your lady friend little bro?” Hector chirped, swiftly crossing his legs and seeming genuinely interested in meeting and getting to know the raven haired beauty sat next to his brother.

A brief growl was uttered from Hiram’s mouth before he continued, wanting to make it clear to his brother that his presence wasn’t exactly welcomed. 

Hiram took a firm rise from the couch, his blazing dark eyes shifting towards his girlfriend as he pulled his hand out and gestured for her to follow his lead, slowly gliding his large hand across her waist. 

“Hermione, this is my brother, Hector. The black sheep of the Lodge clan.” He introduced, practically seething the final words.

Well that was harsh, she thought. Her bright brown orbs slowly gaped wide as a wave of second hand embarrassment surged through her. 

“It’s nice to meet you.” She politely responded, pulling her hand out to shake his own, which he gladly accepted firmly.

“Likewise.” Hector chirped, sizing the beauty up and down before his deep brown eyes met her feet, falling in love with the black leather pumps around them. “Love, your shoes by the way.” He complimented with his hand on heart.

Hermione blushed adorably, immediately looking down at the Manolo Blahnik’s wrapped around her feet. “Thank you!” She chirps before bringing her hand to the side of her lips. “They’re last season, but they look killer with this outfit.” The outfit in question being a black Chanel tweed skirt and a short sleeved white button up blouse neatly tucked in, and the look was completed with her trusted Chanel clutch hanging off her shoulder. 

“I need a drink.” Hiram grumbled, pushing himself off of Hermione and storming off to the kitchen area.

Hector and Hermione’s warming introduction to one another and giggling halted when they heard the passive aggression in Hiram’s tone.

“I’ll go talk to him.” Hermione spoke softly, giving Hector a brief smile before awkwardly wondering off. She was never one to intervene into others problems or place herself in a position of confrontation, but as somebody without siblings, it broke her heart to see two brothers so out of touch with one another, and Hector seemed such a sweet and loving soul, it was beyond her what issue Hiram could possibly have with him.

Hiram tightened his perfect jaw into a mild scowl as he roughly pulled out a bottle of his fathers trusted scotch from the alcohol cupboard, examining the contents, branding and writing on the side of the bottle before settling on the beverage. He reached further for a scotch glass and began to pour, watching the deep brown liquid fill the glass halfway before feeling Hermione glide her nimble manicured hands across his shoulder and coming around to his side. 

“There goes our weekend.” He groans, refusing to look up at her as he prepared his drink, taking a sip once done, squeezing in his lips as he had been sucking on a ripe lemon while the alcohol trickled down his throat. He took a refreshing sigh once the taste settled, grateful for the edge it took off.

“No, it’s fine.” Hermione assured him, rubbing his shoulder in a deep comforting way, feeling how tense he was and trying to relieve any pressure. “We can still make the most of it. Three’s company and all.” She gently giggles. “You know, make s’mores, games at the campfire, swimming in the lake.“

“We can do that in Riverdale.” Hiram harshly interjected. “If I wanted that, I wouldn’t have wasted money on gas driving up here.”

Hiram’s outburst only indicated to her that he wasn’t going to be mature about this at all, and she was done with the topic.

“Never said you had a brother.” She quipped, removing her hands from his shoulder and lightly tapping her fingers along the surface.

“Half.” Hiram sharply corrects. “From my Dad’s previous marriage, but my Mom raised him.”

This just got more interesting.

Despite Hermione and Hiram being as quiet and discreet as possible, Hector had heard every word of their conversation, detail to detail, and it finally sunk in that he had intruded on something exclusive. 

He stepped cautiously towards his brother, clasping his hands together as he prepared to speak. “Look, I didn’t mean to interrupt a couples weekend, so not my intention.” He added with mild regret, feeling guilty about his inconvenient timing. “So I’m just gonna go, maybe find a motel some place”

“That’s a great idea.” Hiram declares snidely, finishing off with a mischievous smirk.

Hermione turned her nose up in disgust and raised her perfectly trimmed brows into her hairline, shocked at the mention of a motel coming out of his mouth.

“A motel?! No way, this is your parents lake house as well.” She protested tenderly. “And ignore Hiram. He.’s just being moody. You’d think he was the one who got a monthly visitor.” She jested with a scoff, turning to meet his unimpressed face as Hector released a brief giggle. 

“It’s fine Hermione. I don’t want to impose on the two of you.” Hector sweetly declined, giving his less than understanding brother a sympathetic smile as he did. 

The sudden claps and roars of thunder rang through the room, alerting Hiram and Hector and sending a slight chill down Hermione’s spine as she unconsciously grabbed a hold of Hiram’s forearm, glaring up at the ceiling in slight fear. 

“I guess there is somebody up there watching out for me.” Hermione gibed as her eyes darted upwards. “I mean, there’s no way you can go out in a pending storm, not up in the mountains anyway.” 

Hector sassily pursed his lips, folding his arms against his chest before averting his mildly pleased gaze towards his younger brother. “Well, when you put it like that....”

“Great!” The raven haired beauty chirped as she clasped her manicured hands together happily, more than pleased that Hector would be sticking around. She had only known him five minutes but was already besotted by his warming presence, admiring his light filled energy and aura, and she wanted to get to know him better.

“I’ll go and get the Monopoly board.” She concluded before turning on her heel and making her way up to the bedroom where she and Hiram had situated themselves in. 

The second Hermione disappeared up the stairs, Hiram’s tight smile faded, switching from annoyance to rage as he gripped Hector’s forearm, pulling him further into the kitchen area.

“Ow! What’s up your ass?” 

“You!” Hiram hissed through bared teeth as he released the grip on his elder brother, showing little to no sympathy. “You and your damn need to ruin everything. I came here to swipe my v card, not play fucking board games.”

“Oh!” Hector exaggerates in realisation before pulling a smirk. “That explains the ‘tude then.” He concludes as he leans against the counter. “You’re more hostile than usual.”

“Well can you blame me?!” Hiram countered, his lips twisting in disgust as he gestured towards Hector’s ostentatious stance and body language. “Just look at you. Talking about friggen shoes. Can’t you even try, to be normal?” 

Hiram’s harsh words cut through Hector like a knife, hesitating his movements as his previously beaming face switched to one of defeat and despair.

Suddenly, the light and sunshine that radiated off of Hector faded in a flash, and a metaphorical dark cloud appeared over him as he was reduced back into that lost young boy he was raised to be ashamed of. 

He blinked back his stiffened eyes as he watched Hiram make his way over to the dining table. Today wasn’t going to be the day he let it get to him, he silently vowed to himself.

•••

As the cold draft from the monumental ceiling fan above Hal’s king sized orthopaedic bed sent a startling chill down Alice’s spine, she pulled the expensive bed wear against her rising chest, trying to get as warm as possible. Riverdale’s Autumn evenings were no joke, she thought as she gracefully lulled her head back into the plump pillow behind her, trying hard to drown out the sounds of Hal’s loud and hog like breaths echoing throughout.

Sweat glistened over Alice’s puckered forehead and brows as she slowly relaxed her shallow breaths, her bra strap slipping below her porcelain shoulder as she turned her slightly reddened and flustered face to the side to meet Hal, only to find him oddly distracted and preparing to rise out of bed.

“You good?” Alice asked with bated breath, her sapphire blue eyes following him as he circled his way around the bed frame, gathering his boxers from floor and pulling them on in front of his full length mirror. 

An unsure eye is darted her way by him as he fixed the elastic of the underwear around his waist, the awkward silence being broken as his cellphone rang.

She released a groan, before tiredly reaching her long snow white arm out for the cellular device, but before she could grasp it into her hands, Hal had all but stormed over and grabbed it first in a hurry.

His shaky yet firm hand stared down at the caller ID, a brief look of displeasure flashing across his hardened and unflattering face before roughly hitting his thumb against the cancel button.

Like a picture, Hal’s face in that moment painted a thousand words, all leading to negative connotations and thoughts to run through her mind, and she wasn’t going to sweep it under the rug.

“Who was that?” Alice enquired, pulling through duvet down her lace bra covered chest and resting it comfortably upon her bare lap before leaning forward and arching a stern brow his way.

“Nobody.” He stated sternly, placing his cellphone in his back pocket and refusing to look her in the eye. 

Releasing a frustrated scoff, she roughly pushed the bed clothing off of her body and crawled over to the edge, sitting up to look directly at him and letting him know she was serious. “I thought things were going to be different now.”

Hal twisted his lip in anger as his thick brows furrowed displeasingly. “Meaning?” He spat, startling Alice a little. It had been a while since one of his minor outbursts.

“Meaning, you’re being cagey as fuck?” Alice reiterates before finally rising from the four poster mahogany bed and circling the side to face a mildly riled up Hal. “I’m your girlfriend, if somethings up you can tell me.”

“It’s nothing Alice! Why do you always have to be so menstrual about everything?” Hal crudely chastised, briskly pulling his t shirt over his head and finding Alice, now in jeans, rushing around the room and gathering her belongings in a hurry without even giving him a second thought. He’d definitely done it this time.

“Fuck you!” She spat once more in fury before pulling her vest over her head and her blonde curls out of the head hole and storming out in a light rage with her heels in hand and her leather jacket under her arm.

“AlIce!” Hal called out in a grumble receiving no answer as she stormed out of his room and down the hall. “Alice, wait!” He yelled out once more, sticking his head out to find she had disappeared down the hall and made it downstairs. 

The sound of his slamming front door gave him enough indication that she had no interest in returning, and he rolled his head back in frustration, smacking his hands against his large forehead in a rage before glaring down at the caller ID.

Missed call: Penelope Blossom

Displeasure was the last word to describe the feeling that surged through his body upon seeing that particular name pop up on his cellphone, and it became abundantly clear as he recklessly took a swing at the wall before him, watching the phone fly out of his hands and smash to pieces in a flash.

•••

If there was ever a night to avoid the South side’s notorious bar, the Whyte Wyrm, in hopes for a quiet drink with friends and loved ones, it would be a Friday, hands down, any South side resident would agree.

With the rowdy, rambunctious and chaotic atmosphere of the bars regulars exercising their joy over the beginning of the weekend or celebrating their much needed and long awaited pay days and their staff coming to their wits end very soon into their shifts, the well known bar was not the place to be if you sought sophistication, relaxation, elegance and high socialisation, but fortunately for Alice, she did not crave high quality scene tonight, so there was no dancing at Raving Eye or calming cocktails down in Pop’s secret underground bar. 

Tonight was about pure unadulterated madness, and she was going to enjoy the wild festivities of loud loser like drunks and trashy rock music blaring on the half broken stereo as she sat at the weakened marble bar.

“Hit me Hog Eye.” She demands, slamming her hand onto the smooth but hard surface.

The middle aged bartender with the wolf like facial structure, narrow frame and stringy grey beard met her request, taking a bottle of tequila, Alice’s poison of choice, off the top shelf and poured out the clear alcoholic substance into the shot glass as she watched in anticipation.

She slammed a $5 bill onto the bar and downed the shot in one go, letting the fiery semi sweet beverage tickle down her throat before wiping the very little remnants off her pouting lips.

“Another.” She gasped out with her eyes fixed onto the neon sign above her.

Hog Eye didn’t need to be told twice.

Alice’s gaze followed the brawny and lanky bartender in ill fitting matching denim as he made his way to the end of the bar, and she was surprised to see a familiar face in her vision.

There FP was, donning his signature black leather jacket and basic white t shirt underneath, his fitting belt and jeans hanging low at his waist just exposing the right amount of skin as he slowly swirled his emerald green bottle of beer around in his hand. A smile dangled at the corner of his lips, no doubt attributed to a clearly drunk and coked up Gladys Gallagher and her skanky ways stroking his ego, literally and figuratively, and the entire scene before her suddenly put a bad taste in her mouth to strong to be masked with the taste and stench of tequila.

Alice had no problem whatsoever with women expressing sexuality. It is the 90s for Christ sake and women are becoming more and more liberated day by day, but Gladys has always been one to take a mile upon being given an inch and rock the boat. 

Yes the two were technically cut from the same cloth, but Alice knew her limits and what lines not to cross, and one of those lines included refraining from giving hand jobs and groping men in public until they have to practically push you off.

Both girls were systematically and socially seen as white trash, but Gladys was just low rent, in the gutter under class white trash, upholding it in every facet of life.

Alice stole from stores and rich people, Gladys steals from her own. Family, friends, fellow poor South siders? You name it. It was her grand theft of Alice’s My Little Pony collection in kindergarten that sparked their their rivalry.

Alice smoked weed every once in a while and pops a pill or two sometimes at parties, but it’s rare. Gladys snorts cocaine for breakfast.

Alice would take a guy from in here behind the alleyway or a toilet cubicle while Gladys would have no problem trying to screw some poor desperate fool on the very stool she sat on with the entire bar watching.

So despite their similar backgrounds, they were always on opposite sides of the spectrum as far as Alice was concerned.

After thankfully being rejected by FP in the least flattering way from Alice’s perspective, the hard faced brunette strolled towards her, her lips contorting into a vicious smirk as her face screwed into a tight anger filled formation and she jutted her chin. 

“What are you so smiley about, Smith?” The haggard faced brunette barked, her sharp brows knitting together as she stared a smug faced Alice up and down

Alice rotates her head, the smile painted across her face still present as she ran her red painted fingers through her blonde curls. “You know what? Why don’t you get back to giving hand jobs around the back for a brewski.” 

An uncivilised growl escaped Gladys’ chapstick deprived lips, baring her sunshine yellow teeth as she recklessly stormed off.

In the midst of her pleasure from taking Gladys down a peg or two, Alice heard the sounds of hallow steps approach from behind her, feeling the sensual heat radiate off of him as he cockily leaned against the bar next to her, jokingly tutting and shaking his head as she turned and met his mischief gleaming eyes.

“That wasn’t very nice.” FP quipped, tilting his head in a cocky manner as he stared the leather clad beauty up and down.

Her eyes playfully rolled skywards, bringing the tiny shot glass to her glossed lips and tightening them close together from the strong taste trickling down her throat and into her system. “I’m not a nice person.” Alice countered, the corner of her lip curling upwards into a smirk of mischief. “Another hog eye.”

The elder bartender served up another shot quick at the Blonde’s mildly aggressive demand, taking it as a sign to leave her be. He’d witnessed Alice’s fiery persona come out on nights like this when the combination of pent up fury and too much liquor had surged through her system, and it wasn’t a pleasant sight at all.

FP observed her curiously, his mouth hanging slightly open as she casually knocked the drinks back like it was a contest. 

“Somethin’ up?” He questioned, his husky voice holding a touch of a concern.

“You wouldn’t care.” Alice retorted, releasing a tiresome grunt as she ran her fingers through her blonde mane.

“Try me.”

And just like that, Alice was far more impressed with this mysterious new guy than she had been before, ever since he had moved here. Perhaps he wasn’t as shallow as he seemed. She pursed her wet lips, preparing to disclose her personal matters with him.

“Hal might be sticking it in some other bitch.” She carelessly revealed, arching her shaped brow, slacking her jaw as she rubbed her tense temples.

FP leaned closer into her, his slightly worried face contorting to slight amusement at the possibility of this being true. What kind of idiot would cheat on THE Alice Smith? “You know that for sure?” 

“He was cagey when I grabbed his phone.” She defended in a child like squeak, finally giving him full eye contact.

“That’s it?” He chuckled lightly, the thought of there being more to this crossing his mind. “Look, I’m the last person that’s gonna defend that guy, but maybe it’s something else.”

Alice pondered on the idea for a second, thinking that there could be a logical, rational explanation behind Hal’s sneaky behaviour that didn’t involve another girl or being unfaithful, but she’d been around enough men to know how they operate in every facet, and shifty habits often indicated guilty actions.

“Besides, what asshole would be stupid enough to cheat on you?” FP softly purred before lips curled into a smirk, his deep husky voice ringing in Alice’s ears as she spun her head his way.

Alice didn’t exhibit weakness, or any form of human emotion associated with the term, but hearing FP speak those words so softly, lamenting the fact that she’s such a catch that the idea of cheating on her was preposterous, she couldn’t help but grin like a Cheshire Cat, feeling a hint of fluttering in her stomach as his smirk widened and her heart raced in her chest.

However, the tender moment shared between the two came to a halt, and the beaming expression upon Alice’s face transformed to immediate disgust as out of the corner of her eye, the entrance of a barrel chested leather denim and clad figure caught her attention.

“Shit.” She hissed out with hating teeth, exhibiting slight frustration as she turned her head to the front of the bar with rolling eyes.

“What’s is it?” FP wondered, his brows briefly knitting in confusion at her sudden closed off and physically anxious actions.

Her strong stance was now slouched and jittery, abstractedly running her oval fingernails through her blonde mane. “Don’t look now, but asshole at 2 o clock.”

FP redirected his gaze towards the young man approaching the bar with a jutting chin and pursed lips in amusement. “Who’s he?”

“His names Ghost.” She spouts out in disgust, taking yet another shot down her throat. “Can’t take a fucking hint or no for an answer. Just don’t look.” She added, hissing the last part in a warning.

Never one to take orders from anybody, not even a beautiful girl like Alice, he willing looked anyway, briefly sizing up the strangely built and disgracefully dressed man the closer he came, growing more uncomfortable as his sunken coffee eyes, unruly brows, few days growth of beard, oak coloured mullet and chalky leathery skin cane more into focus.

Gary “Ghost” Korofsky was a notorious and polarising figure within in the Southside community, primarily amongst the neighbourhoods youth sector. Coming from one of the most uncivilised, reckless and moral devoid families on the block he unwillingly earned a reputation from a young age. And for only the age of 19, he sure did rack up a lot enemies and manage to piss people off, one those people in question being Alice. Between his constant harassment, reluctance to take no for an answer and abrasive, ignorant and caveman like behaviour, Alice had all the reason to hate his hideous guts.

FP menacingly poked his tongue in cheek as Ghost leaned against the bar on the other side of Alice, donning a scowl upon his face and  
twisting it up as the scent of Ghost’s designer imposter cologne and body odour struck his nostrils. The domineering presence over her already struck a nerve within him.

“Drinking alone baby?” Ghost rhetorically prompted with an ill smirk, swiping his whitened tongue along the top of his narrow thin top lip

“Looks like it doesn’t it?” Alice countered ironically without giving him a single look.

“How “bout we blow off this dump and head up to the raving eye, huh?”

“How about, you fuck off?” Alice spat, turning her head to face him and let him know she was serious. She wasn’t in the mood for these games tonight.

“Ooh, feisty tonight, aren’t we?” Ghost chuckled, playfully stepping back and holding his hands in the air. He got some sort of sick thrill out of winding her up

“What’s the matter? That Northside boy not doing it for you no more?” He taunted before doing the unthinkable and lowering his greasy germ riddled hand firmly on her rear end. 

Alice gasped out in fury, slamming her glass down as the rude gesture forced her to hop off her seat in horror and turn around to meet his highly smug ill favoured face.

However, for FP, now stood at the bar with visible throbbing veins in his neck, tightly clenched fists and a jutting chin, he’d seen enough.

“Hey asshole!” The leather clad teen growled out, fearlessly taking a step closer to Ghost. “She said back the fuck off.”

Alice remained stoic, keeping herself to herself in that moment as the raging tension between the two men became an alarmingly clear indicator that this was about to get violent.

A patronising giggle left Ghost’s lips as he suddenly became aware of the fading sounds of chatter and music in the room. “You think you’re a tough guy huh? I’ll paint these fucking shit stained walls with you.” He threatened, baring his yellow teeth as he fixed his shoulders into a firm stance, prepared for what was next.

An oddly placed smirk flashed across FP’s face as he took in Ghost’s weak threat, something he never took too kindly to, and he knew exactly how to put those who speak empty threats out in their place.

Taking an abandoned glass of liquor from the bar, he turned around and shamelessly threw the contents onto an innocent bystander stood behind him, before throwing the glass Ghost’s way, resulting in him catching it by reflex.

Ghost watched on naively, his beady eyes darting back and forth between a proud and mischief filled FP and astonished Alice as the innocent bystander, who just so happened to be a 6’4 250lb, burly tattooed serpent, and as he stared the three down, his face laced with rage and slow grunts leaving his lips, awaiting the culprit to come forward, FP pointed a stern finger in Ghost’s direction.

Big mistake.

The tough serpent stormed past the two and grabbed a mildly terrified Ghost by the collar of his stretched denim jacket, pushing him up against a pillar before throwing him across a table occupied by blackjack players and ruining their game, and before anybody knew it, the pool goers were snapping the cues in half, the waitresses and bar staff were smashing glasses and the entire bar was embroiled in a highly lively altercation. 

FP and Alice watched on in misplaced awe as the chaos ensued, now standing closer together as their hearts raced watching the violence go on. It wasn’t nothing they weren’t already used to, being from similar backgrounds, but the pure shock came from the fact that they were partly responsible yet stood their unscathed and guarded from it all.

Amidst the sounds of smacks, punches, breaking glass and furniture smashing, soon came the sounds and sight of blue flashing lights, prompting an alert response in FP before bravely taking Alice by the hand and racing towards the back alley exit, just in time for the police to enter the bar and begin arrests.

With adrenaline racing through their systems, they staggered towards the back end area of bar, avoiding the surrounding cops and blue lights before turning into the alley to remain out of sight. Alice subconsciously stood with back and hands against the cold concrete wall as FP firmly stood in front of her, poking his head around the corner to check the coast was clear before meeting her perfect face once more.

“What the fuck just happened?!” Alice gasped out in disbelief with a gleaming smile upon her face, FP taking note of her slow heaving chest beneath him as he bowed his head.

“Ghost got his ass handed to him, that’s what!” FP bragged as he rested his free hand against the wall by her fallen blond locks, his small lips parting as breathless pants left his mouth. 

His wondrous awe filled gaze remained on the adorably crazy blonde that stood before him, his pacing heart beat only increasing as her diamond like eyes looked up at him with same anticipation. And before the two knew it, their lips impulsively came to meet, the mix of passion and adrenaline pulsing through every inch of them, FP tasting her cherry scented lip gloss with Alice inhaling the scent of mint and whiskey that filled his mouth, finding it oddly comforting. 

It wasn’t until the sounds of more officers nearby on foot that they stopped, immediately pulling themselves off one another.

Alice’s eyes were wide like saucers, but with a hint of pleasure apparent within them as she sucked her lips in, trying to hold off the smirk at that brief intimate moment. It may have been short lived, but boy was it impactful.

He backed away, the shame filled smile still present on his face as he tilted his head to peek around, happy to find the area was now free of cops.

“Come on.” He breathed out before taking her hand once more, which she gladly accepted. 

He lead her to his truck on the other end of the bar parking lot, the two separating their locked hands once they came to the bonnet and moved around to either side, briskly pulling the doors open on high alert with the cops still around, before hopping into the front seats and releasing sighs of relief at the fact that they were safe and had evaded the police with no problems.

Their quickened breaths were still very much present as they took in the brief moment of relaxation before calmly laughing off the situation and taking a hold of their safety belts.

Alice couldn’t help the building smirk that threatened to appear on her lips, taking her tongue and gliding it along the top part as she watched him secure himself and start up the engine. 

“Trust you to start a fucking bar fight.” She teased, arching her brow in pleasure as he turned his perfectly chiseled face her way. 

“What can I say, trouble follows me like a shadow. You’d know all about that.” FP jibed proudly as he began to pull out of the lot.

Alice scoffed playfully, taking the backhanded compliment in her strides and raising her brows upwards in slight agreement. Touché she thought to herself. “Guess we’re one in the same, huh?”

“I guess we are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: In case it wasn’t obvious, yes, Hector is gay and Hiram is a raging homophobe. I didn’t want to directly say it, as I plan on elaborating on his sexuality, family drama and experiences in later chapters, I also felt it would help you sympathise with the character a little more. I have a lot planned for him in this story.


	8. Chapter 8

6:45 am on Elm Street, and the Andrews house was as lively as ever, filled with light chatter and conversation between Arthur ‘Artie’ and Virginia Andrews and their two children, sons Oscar and Francis, otherwise known as Frank, while the other remained in bed. 

The glowing sun was peaking up from the horizon, but the crisp chilling air still wafted through the atmosphere given that it was early October and they were in the Eastern Region of the nations coast, and it was this chill creeping through his open air vents that woke young Fred Andrews from his slumber, that and the smell of the fresh blueberry muffins his mother had just baked. 

He pulled himself off up from the deep comfort of his orthopaedic mattress, groaning and stretching to adjust himself before swinging his legs over the bed and making his way to the shower.

Twenty minutes later, he exit the steam filled room, a baby blue towel wrapped firmly around his small waist as her ran his hands through his slightly damp sandy brown locks and slicking them back out of his face, choosing to neglect his blow dryer and allow it to dry naturally before strolling over to his large closet and picking out his outfit. Not like there was much variety or choice to begin with, he was a simple man, and was quite content with his plain t shirts, jeans and Chucks.

As he calmly strolled down the mahogany staircase, gripping bannister albeit loosely, he was met with the sounds of his parents in deep conversation and laughter, while his brothers quietly bickered at the end of the breakfast bar. 

It was small moments like these he appreciated, just the casual behaviours of your typical American family. Unlike many of his peers, he was lucky enough to grow up in a fairly solid and loving home from birth, a luxury he knew not to take for granted given that many had rather different experiences, home lives and relationships with their families. 

Did the Andrews have their fair share of problems? Of course, what family doesn’t, but Riverdale standards, they were practically perfect.

“Morning sweetie.” Virginia chirped as her middle son entered the room, rising her bowed head and shifting her focus from the cooking book set in front of her to look him in the eye.

“Mornin.” Fred replied with a grin as he pulled out a seat, reaching for the box of multigrain cereal placed perfectly in the middle of the island and releasing the contents into the white China bowl on his placemat.

His attention diverted from his dining ware and food as a shrill like sound emitted from young Frank’s mouth. 

“Oscar pinched me!” The eleven year old shrieked out to his mother with a tightened scowl on his face, pleading with her to punish him.

Virginia abruptly halted her baking preparations, her eyes laced with vigilance before practically rolling them into the back of her head as she expressed a shame and frustration filled sigh. “Oscar, leave your brother alone!” 

“I didn’t do anything, the little twerps lying.” The troublesome dark haired college student nonchalantly fibbed.

“Boys!” Artie called out in a domineering tone that alert the whole room, lowering his large newspaper just below his mossy green eyes as he narrowed them in a stern glare towards his sons. “Listen to your mother.”

They didn’t need to be told twice by the Andrews patriarch, and they immediately relaxed themselves, sitting up straight and firm as reserved and anxious expressions transformed their faces and returned to their breakfasts.

“Whatcha’ working on?” Fred asked his mother, narrowing his eyes and lightly licking his lips at the prepared desert, curious to know what she had was baking upon seeing a few unfamiliar and unconventional varied ingredients and spices that were a slight contrast to her usual recipe contents.

“Rhubarb pies for the upcoming fair.” She sweetly discloses with pride as she rolled out the pastry set before her.

The annual Riverdale fair, a grand celebration of the towns establishment and later naming by the founders, the Uktena tribe and late 18th century immigrant settlers. It was the one thing a year that united the community and brought them together, participating in events, enjoying fairground rides and exquisite cuisine, well to Riverdale’s budding chef’s and homemakers standards. 

Virginia’s homemade pies were just one of the many dishes that were served and sold to the town, and used to compete in the pie contests that took place, and being the perfect homemaker she was and often receiving an abundance of praise for her culinary and baking skills, she always took much pride and pleasure in doing so, even more so when she won.

“I figured I’d try something different this year rather than the usual apple or cherry.” She added as she carefully sprinkled a tony amount of flour onto the crust base before rolling it out again. “Because there’s no way Mrs prissy Cooper is beating me this year, not with her store bought pies or the ones made by her short order chef.” Virginia finished with a narrow glare, releasing a quiet huff as she became a little more aggressive with her rolling. 

“You don’t know that for sure dear.” Artie softly laughs, bringing his newspaper down to the table.

“Oh yes, I do!” Virginia snapped back abruptly in a higher voice, raising her head with big eyes setting on her husband. “They are bland, lack sufficient amount of sugar, the filling to crust ratio is never right, and no baking woman has perfectly pristine french manicures like hers.” 

She takes her free hand, pointing it to her chest to emphasise her point. “I, actually put my heart and soul into my deserts, working my fingers to the bone, this recipe has to be perfect.” 

“Speaking of the fair, do we have to help out this year?” Oscar wonders cautiously, anticipating the dreaded possibility of that being a yes. He had never been fond of helping his parents with community work while his younger brothers saw no problem with it, and that’s what truly separated the three of them.

“Not this year sweetie. I have Maggie, you know Janet’s daughter? She asked me personally, figured it would be a perfect work experience for her stepping stone into culinary school.” Virginia explained to her eldest, before shifting a sneaky glare Fred’s way, the corner of her lips curling into a smirk. “She actually asked me about you too Fred.”

Fred paused his whole demeanour as he brought a spoon of cereal to his mouth, averting his gaze from the table to his mother and furrowing his brown before callously dropping the cutlery into his bowl. He recognised that blushing scheming look that currently donned his mother’s face, and it only meant one thing. She was on the match making train, and Maggie was just one of the many girls she attempted to pair him with.

“Mom? Stop trying to set me up with Maggie already, we’re just friends, actually acquaintances at most.”

“But she’s a lovely girl.” 

“That’s Mom code does ugly.” Oscar cruelly jokes under his breath, earning a fiery glare from his mother that instantly set him straight.

“Watch your mouth Oscar Andrews. We’re not raising you to disrespect and belittle women like that.” Arthur bellowed with a stern finger pointing the college students way. 

“Anyway, I think she’d be perfect for you. You’re the only one in your friend group without a girlfriend yet.”

Fred’s adorable face flushed a bright crimson red at his mothers careless statement, his eyes gaping and embarrassment heightening   
as his brother’s snickered quietly in the corner. 

But as mildly humiliating as it was to hear his mother reveal so openly the context of his love life, it was nothing he wasn’t used to. Virginia had always been far too invasive, coddling and failed to under boundaries when it came to her three sons, whether it was wiping dirt off Oscar’s face or calling Frank pet names at the school gate in front of all his class mates and peers, who were now at an the age where it wasn’t cute but laughable. The boys understood she was coming from a place of care and concern, but what they wouldn’t give for Virginia to just butt out every now and then.

“I don’t care, I’m not interested!” Fred callously fired back, returning to his meal and directing his gaze elsewhere as his embarrassment slowly washed out of him. 

If only his mother knew he already had eyes for one girl, and one girl only. Hermione Apollonia Gomez, the Raven haired, ravishing River Vixen had stolen his heart from the very day they met.

Naturally the admiration started off as solely platonic, being barely four years old at the time and their friendship blossoming from Fred sticking up for Hermione against a ponytail pulling bully in kindergarten, and from there on on out it was nothing but innocent child’s play. From sandbox and swings to trading toys to overly competitive hide and seek games, the two were inseparable from and throughout childhood.

However, along came middle school, and with middle school came puberty crashing down like a tonne of bricks. Hermoine was no longer the girl he’d willingly play dress up and princess tea parties with or watch Looney Tunes on repeat every Saturday morning, she was a girl, a very pretty and enticing girl he had slowly but surely grown feelings for and was too afraid to profess them to her, not just out of embarrassment but also out of fear of ruining the friendship and to him, preserving that was more important so he settled with keeping his heightened crush on to himself.

The Andrews morning breakfast was interrupted by the sound of the rhythmic doorbell ringing throughout the home, catching the entire family’s attention as they wondered out loud who could possibly be turning up at this time.

“I’ll get it!” Fred mumbled under his breath, removing himself from the island and moving promptly towards the door, knowing exactly who was on the other end.

Pulling the door back, he was met with a comfortably smug FP stood on the porch, donning the bright and bold blue and gold Bulldogs uniform ever so proudly for the first time since making the team the prior week, the tones, fitting and material of the outfit emphasising his Adonis like chest and his   
Ivory Herculean arms. Being his ever so cocky self, he knew he looked good but that humble side within allowed him to refrain from bragging.

“Wow!” Fred gasped as he nod his head. “Fits like a glove, we might actually give those Stonewall preppies a run for their money.”

FP bowed his head in laughter, poking his tongue in cheek as he made his way inside. “Pick ya jaw up Andrews.” He jokingly instructed as he pat Fred’s shoulder, halting in his steps as Fred closed the front door and taking a second to observe the Andrews residence and their warming family friendly hallway filled with family photos and welcoming decor and plants. It seemed larger than he remembered, but given he was three years old the last time he was there, that wasn’t saying much. 

“Nice digs.” He complimented with gaping eyes before turning on his heel to face Fred. 

“Thanks.”

“Whose idea was it to have practice at 7:30?” FP questioned in a husky tone as he followed Fred through to the dining room.

“Penelope Blossom, Student Body President.” Fred grunted out with a very expressive eye roll. It was very rare for him to show the disdain he held for others but when it came to Penelope Blossom, it proved to be difficult, as she was just that unpleasant.

A slightly spellbound FP strolled begins Fred into the Andrews dining area, being met with pleasant smiles and greetings from Fred’s warming family.

“Good morning FP!” Virginia chirped. “You look very handsome.” She complimented as she eyed up his new uniform before returning to her baking.

“Thanks ma’am.” He responded with his infamous cheeky smirk, baring his pearly whites as he chuckled.

“Are you staying for breakfast?”

“We’ve gotta get to practice.”

“Bye Mom, bye Dad!” Fred called out before

•••

Fred and FP weren’t the only Riverdale High students who had more than an axe to grind with Class President Blossom. Along with the Bulldogs, the River Vixens had also been roped into early morning practices, which dissatisfied a lazy Alice who was quite partial to her sleep in general. And to top it all off, she was still subsiding a hangover and the incessant chatter from her fellow Vixens and slamming of lockers as they got ready wasn’t helpful.

“This is bullshit!” Alice spat through baring teeth as she tied her sneakers into a perfect bow, finishing it off with a minor toe stretch as her feet adjusted to the footwear. “Trust that carrot top bitch to make us come here at the crack of dawn the second she wins.” Alice fired out before slamming her locker shut, frustratedly folding her arms across her tight fitted chest and releasing an aggressive huff as she leaned back onto the cold metal. “That Presidency was rightfully Sierra’s. I know the bitch rigged it.”

A giggling Hermione cocked her head up from adjusting her footing her in shoes, playfully narrowing her eyes at her best friends callous comments. 

“You’re only mad because your idea of waking up early is when everybody’s starting lunch.”

“You don’t stay this beautiful getting no sleep.” Alice bragged, gracefully gesturing towards her beautiful face with a proud smile, before abruptly changing the subject. “How was camp cock?”

“Alice!” Hermione quietly shrieked as she snapped her head Alice’s way, her eyes gaping like saucers as she her face flushed a crimson red tone in embarrassment, hoping nobody heard a word.

“Sorry, couldn’t help it.” Alice expresses, holding her hands up in defence. “Well?”

The raven haired Latina’s chocolate brown eyes snappily glanced upwards to the slim framed blonde, anxiously poking her tongue in her cheek, twisting her lips in ponder as she prepared her answer. 

“Well, nothing happened actually.” She reluctantly revealed, looking down at her olive skinned manicured fingernails and fiddling her hands together. 

As much as she was openly reserved when it came to sex, there was always a simmer of embarrassment that came whenever the discussion surfaced with those around her, and it only fostered added pressure to the situation, especially as she was the only one of her friend group with a steady boyfriend.

“Nothing?” Alice repeats with an arched brow. “Not even a hand job?”

“Kinda hard when you’re not alone, his brother showed up unexpected.” Hermione disclosed before closing her locker and linking arms with Alice before proceeding to the football field, with their fellow Vixens following behind.

Alice’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, her head turning Hermione’s way as a suggestive expression graced her face. “Hiram has a brother?” 

“Relax, you are not his type, trust.” Hermione subtly divulged with a chirpy voice, not wanting to completely out Hector to just anybody, as the two walked out onto the grass and being met with the fresh Autumn air and atmosphere and the Bulldogs actively engaged in their warm up. ”Besides, you have a boyfriend remember?”

The blonde’s mischief filled smirk slowly pulled down into a frown as the very mention of her, boyfriend slash ex boyfriend sparked pure disdain and annoyance within her, manifesting through her frowning features. ”Don’t even mention him to me.”

“Don’t tell me you guys split up again, seriously?” Hermione lightly scoffed with a harsh eye roll. The couples on off antics were starting to irritate her lately and she just wished they’d sort their shit out already rather than go around in the same toxic circle.

Alice however was far too focused on gazing out at FP in the field, subconsciously biting down on her lip as his tight fitted polyester football shirt rose with his vigorous movements, exposing the lower part his glistening sweat covered abdominal area, and she’d be lying if it wasn’t doing something crazy to her, especially as his deep brown orbs suddenly locked with hers and his gleaming lust filled smirk took her by surprise. 

“What are you staring at?” Hermione wondered, interrupting Alice and FP’s brief unadulterated moment.

Her loose blonde curls swung to the side of her shoulder, falling gracefully down her body as she turned her head towards her pondering best friend. 

“Nothing.” Alice quickly lied with a bright smirk. “Nothing at all.”

A/N: I know this was probably very boring and felt like filler but I was honestly lost when it came to writing it and found myself in a slump. It was supposed to be longer, but I decided to split it in an attempt to make my updates for the story much more frequent.


	9. Heartbreaker

With an extended physically challenging and tedious Football practice finally over, FP, Fred and the remaining Bulldogs found themselves and their aching muscles re-cooperating fresh from their scorching hot and ice cold showers in the steam and chatter filled dimly lit locker rooms before first period began.

To his surprise, FP’s first stroke with the jock world, that he unfortunately missed out on back in his shitty inner city public school, turned out to be oddly pleasing and not the cliche Dude Bro testosterone packed nightmare he expected, perhaps this football thing could work out, he silently thought to himself as he slicked his damp hair back and tightened the baby blue towel that sat just below his waist, exposing the very top of his hip bones.

“Good job out there Jones.” Tom Keller praised as he rushed past the duo to get to his locker.

“Thanks man.” He responded with a little gleam in his expression.

The praise and admiration to the new player on their team continued as more Bulldogs piled in from the showers and field, giving FP firm nods of approval, initiating handshakes and speaking brief words of appreciation and gratitude, which only increased the smugness and satisfaction FP already felt.

“See? Told you things would be great.” Fred gleefully recalled, patting FP’s shoulder as he stepped past him and extended his shirt over his semi damp body. Not everybody was impressed with FP’s introduction and execution of football skills though, and there was clear stench of jealousy that clouded the busy room once Hal and his minions witnessed glory FP was receiving from their teammates, and they weren’t going to remain silent on it either.

“You sure it was him and not the steroids.” Hal rudely taunted with an air of disgust in his tone, causing a few snickers from Hiram and Clifford Blossom.

FP halted the buckling of his belt, slowly turning his chiselled face as his free hand ran through his slick damp hair, swaggering towards the trio to give them a piece of his mind.

“You want a bloody nose to match the shiner this time around? Huh?” He threatened daringly, his lips parting as he poked his tongue in cheek, arching his thick brow Hal’s way, letting him know just how serious he was about going for another brawl right there and then if needed. Guys like Hal? He was no stranger to their kind. All talk and no trousers, and he knew exactly how to put those types in their place. 

Hal cowardly stepped back with Hiram and Clifford following suit, his scowling fave still very much present before turning the corner past the lockers and disappearing.

“Ogling his girlfriend, and then that?” Fred points out bluntly as he laces up his Chuck Taylors. “It’s almost like you want trouble with those douches.”

FP’s nose scrunched tightly in confusion, frowning his lips to add emphasis before he turned away. “What d’ya mean?” He questioned with a forced giggle, trying to keep his obliviousness act up. He knew exactly what Fred was getting at, but he didn’t think his harmless flirty gazing at the blonde beauty out on the field was that obvious. 

“C’mon!” Fred gleefully prompts, playfully shoving FP’s shoulder. “You couldn’t keep your eyes off her. You were like a dog in heat.” 

“Not like she wasn’t staring back.” He arrogantly brags, wriggling his eyebrows in the process as he finished dressing himself.

“Dude, She’s taken.”

“That why she kissed me on Saturday?”

Fred gasped out suddenly in shock, his green eyes gaping wide like a bug, upon hearing this sordid little story. He grabbed hold of FP’s arm, pulling around the corner past the lockers and out of sight, mind and hearing proximity from the rest of the team, who had a tendency to gossip worse than older women.

“She did what?!” Fred hissed one a lower voice, his eyes averting to his surroundings, ensuring nobody was eavesdropping. 

“You heard me.” FP smugly proclaimed with a light scoff as his tall stature towered over Fred just a little. “Back of the Wyrm. We were running from the cops after some shit went down, she was telling me about how pissed off she was at him-“ He callously recalled. “Guess preppy ain’t doing it for her no more.” He finished with a smirk before sliding his tongue over his whitened teeth. 

“This isn’t something to brag about.” Fred warned in a scolding tone. 

“Why d’you care anyway?” FP angrily stressed with a narrowed glare. “You like her? Tryna stop me muscling in?”

“God no!” Fred declared in exaggeration. “Alice is too, wild for me.” That was his polite way of saying unpredictable and too chaotic to handle, and that certainly wasn’t his type. He also saw Alice as more of an annoying little sister rather than significant other, and just the thought of it was making him feel queasy.

“Then what?”

“I don’t wanna see you get pummelled!” Fred finally admits, well aware of how troublesome and problematic Hal and his posse can be, especially when it came to what they saw as their property. “Look, there’s a reason why despite Hermione being my best friend, I still keep my distance from that crowd. Trust me, you don’t wanna be caught up in the middle of their shit. Whatever’s happening between you and Alice, end it.”

A condescending chuckle escaped FP's sneaky and mischeivious set lips, slowly gliding the edge of his tongue along his pearly whites before staring directly at an overreacting Fred. Knowing what he knew, or more like what Fred had made abundantly clear since the day he moved to Riverdale, he found it very ironic that Fred was dishing out this patronsing advice. 

“How about you take your own advice first Frederick?"

Fred's innocent emerald eyes shifted side to side, his face slowly flushing a bright crimson shade as FP stared him down with an arched brow, but despite the fairly obvious guilt, Fred was adamant to brush it off and put on a facade of oblivion.

“What do you mean?” Fred questioned, a nervous faux giggle following.

“You thought your little crush on the raven haired princess was a secret?” FP sneakily taunted, circling a slightly embarrassed Fred before halting at his side and resting a hand on his shoulder. “I mean, stop gazing at Hermione and grinning like a Cheshire Cat every time she’s in your eye line, because he-“ FP paused, taking a brief look over at a very physically fit Hiram. “-looks like he packs a good swing. Just saying.”

Fred flicked the corner of his lips into an accepting smirk before giving FP an almost death glare. The leather toting lethario was right, and he hated having to admit it.

“Touché Forsythe. Touché.”

•••

Football practice was over, and the school day had officially begun, Geography might’ve been the first class on FP’s timetable but he had no intention of expanding his knowledge on energy conservation and the hole in the ozone layer, these days, his skewered idea of a job came first, if car theft for the towns gang leaders could be considered work. The only thing on his mind was his current financial hardship, and how he only had between now and 9:30 to steal Emiliano Lodge’s Jet Black series 7 BMW, on request of course, and the pay day for this job was going to be grand. 

So once again for the third time since he’d moved here, he found himself hanging around in the halls by his locker, just quietly lurking as he tried to blend in and draw any attention away from himself while the Riverdale high student body crowded in packs, navigating between collecting stationary and textbooks from their lockers and rushing to classrooms while he used the light chaos to quietly slip away and make a beeline for the school entrance.

This morning however, the distraction of Alice sauntering by in her simple black polyester crop top that ended right beneath her breasts and exposed the very top rim of her equally black lace bra, her high wasted red tartan print mini skirt that gave him a perfect view of her ivory Goddess like thighs covered by a pair of large holed fishnets, and her high heeled laced up combat boots, immediately put a spanner in his plan.

He did a double take, his eyes focusing on her as she walked right past him, offering her infamous flick of the mouth smirk in return upon seeing his notorious cat thats got the cream smug filled smirk. 

He was determined to talk to her, especially after what has happened on Saturday night, but the sight before him as Alice opened up her locker halt him.

His eyes roamed over her as a gasp fell from her glossed lips, soon turning to a smile as she pulled out what seemed to be a small velvet box and a long red rose, her ruby red cheeks blushing lightly and matching the flower perfectly. 

A sudden sense of unease and jealousy washed over FP as he watched Hal approach her from behind, startling her in a subtle way, her light squeal ringing through the halls as he clutched her waist and practically forced his lips on hers. To FP, It seemed his lacklustre apology for whatever happened between the two of them over the weekend had worked. 

He couldn’t watch the sickly scene before him any longer, and apprehensively closing his locker shut, he made his way to the school exit, refusing to be a witness to this. Perhaps Fred was right after all. 

•••

Night fall had graced the quiet suburban town. The stars up above twinkled like diamonds, setting a beautifully mystic gaze over the town, the only sounds heard within the radius of the Southside of town were the hooting of neighbourhood owls, a stark contrast from the alarming noise of barking dogs, roaring car engines and belligerent drunks, and the bone tickling chill that waved through the mysterious dark air was a clear indicator that Winter was on the horizon.

The significant drop in temperature however, didn’t make any difference to FP’s nightly shirtless and grey pants smoke session by his open window, and Lord knows he needed to buzz and relief tonight of all nights after what he had witnessed in the hallway at school. 

The sounds of light chatter and high heeled footsteps, both of which sounded very familiar, were heard in the distance, and speak of the devil, Alice emerged from the shadows and darkness of the trailer park with her younger sister Penny on her tail, the two staggering towards their motor home with large paper brown bags. 

The image of a half naked FP in grey sweatpants sat at his window caught her attention, and the two shamelessly locked in a gaze that spoke volumes.

“Pen, go inside, I’ll be there in a minute.” Alice quietly instructed her sister as she passed her the bag of groceries held in her hand. “And tell your lazy piece of shit Dad to pack them away too!”

“Want a hit?” He kindly offers as she approached him, holding the blunt up between his thumb and forefinger and proudly showing it off, prompting a cheeky grin to grace Alice’s statuesque face.

“Sure.” She accepted, happily taking the illegal substance from his hands, placing the edge between her two glossed lips as her and FP’s cocoa brown orbs remained locked into one another. 

He carefully watched her inhale the marijuana into her lungs, soaking in how breath taking she managed to be doing just about anything, all while waiting for her to exhale so he could finally break the silence, which he proceeded with the second she blew the air past her lips.

“So you’re back with Hal then huh?” He rhetorically questioned, trying his best to sound as callous as possible but unintentionally being invasive at the same time. 

“He wasn’t cheating, alright?” Alice defended with a slight sigh, the sharp roll of her eyes making it very clear to FP that he was treading thin waters. “He was hiding a present, for my birthday next month. That’s why he was so cagey.”

No matter how expressive Alice’s delivery was, he just convinced that the behaviour she had described to him regarding Hal was a out of a desperate need to conceal a gift, but then again, who was he to judge. 

“Guess you’re right.” He answered nonchalantly with a shrug of his shoulder, averting his gaze to the night sky as she stared up at him. “‘Cus any dude would be crazy to cheat on you anyway.” FP concluded innocently. “Guess that’s that’s the end of our 20 second love story.” 

His clever sense of irony force a light hearted giggle to leave her plump lips, but the longer she processed the joke, the more deeper it hit. It was obvious that he liked her, and she certainly liked him, there was no denying that. 

FP was handsome, desirable, mysterious. He was exactly the sort of guy anyone would expect her to be with, and perhaps in another life they’d work out perfectly, but at the end of the day, no matter how much he drove her crazy, Hal was who she felt she belonged with, and her life was already chaotic enough for any added complications.

“Look, let’s just be friends, okay?” She softly suggested with gentle eyes, handing him the blunt at the same time.

“Cool.” FP calmly accepted with a kind smile. “Besides, my Mom told me to stay away from girls like you anyway.” He teased with a self satisfied grin. 

Alice arched her perfectly sculpted brows and twitched the corner of her lips into a smirk, strangely impressed with his little remark, before stepping onto the wooden block below his window, diving her head as close to his as possible and coming face to face with him. 

“Your Mom’s never met a girl like me.” She sassily snapped back with a beaming smile, getting a thrill off of watching FP’s uncontrollable thoughts manifest through his lust filled eyes and biting of his lips. 

With that, she hopped off from the ledge, glad she has won this round of their little inside push and pull game and leaving him all hot and bothered with the scent of her shoplifted designer perfume and strawberry shampoo and the sight of her derrière in his eye line as she sauntered off weighing heavy on his mind.

He knew she was doing it on purpose, but no matter the case, he couldn’t stay mad at her, because ultimately, it’s exactly what made her so intriguing to him, and that wasn’t about to change.


	10. Play Your Poker Face

The Riverdale High student lounge, an iconic and highly favoured staple within the school faculty since 1968. 

Forget the coveted Bulldogs memorabilia hall containing their masses of achievements and trophies they’d acquired over the years or the traditional library built in 1976 in memory of the school’s first principal; the red brick room decorated head to toe in posters of the hottest actors and musicians and brash slogans and symbols, games and leisure and old leathered furniture was the heart of the school, and almost a second home for the pupils. 

And with a free period for the Juniors just starting, and the icy bone chilling weather making it’s presence known outside preventing anybody from dabbling in a casual joint behind the bleachers, hanging back in the lounge was what they’d have to settle for.

“I don’t see why Mary can’t tutor me.” A mildly frustrated Alice argued as she and Sierra stepped into the chatter and hormone filled atmosphere.

“Because she says if she has to study with you again, she’ll kill you.” Sierra remarked as she frustratedly rummaged through her textbooks. “Plus I’ve been assigned as a Junior class tutor for the semester, and God knows nobody else will take you so suck it up and stop whining.”

The sight of Hermione, FP and Fred sat on the couches by the window and deeply immersed in conversation caught Alice and Sierra’s attention, the two immediately drawn to joining the chatty trio. 

With Hermione and FP’s mutual friendship via Fred, the threesome had become quite an interesting collective as of recent, instinctively hanging out at Pops, eating lunch together, spending time at the arcade, comic book and music store. Just like any group of friends would do.

Alice came circling around the tatty leathered sofa occupied by Fred and FP, her red acrylic fingernails gliding carefully over the material and ever so closely to the back of FP gelled back hair. He felt her tempting seductress like presence behind him, the hairs on the back of his neck rising firm instantly as a pleasuring chill ran down his spine.

“Uh oh.” Hermione fretted, placing her coffee down onto the table in front as she observed Alice’s distressing expression. “I know that face.”

The bodacious blonde seated herself next to the raven haired princess and slumped back with a huff into the plush leather, her cleavage in her lace black bra and see through dragon print crop top directly in FP’s eye line. 

“What’s wrong? Mr Hacker not fall for your dying Dad story?” Fred questioned in his usual warming joking manor. 

“No, the asshole wouldn’t buy it. Alice grunt with an exaggerated eye roll. “So Sierra has to tutor me.”

Fred and Hermione fell into a mutual silence, their faces tightening and mouths falling straight immediately as they shared an equally knowing glance. 

“Good luck with that.” Hermione whispered to Sierra, discreetly sipping her coffee to hide her smirk, but earning a kick to the thigh from Alice.

A pondering arched brow slowly appeared over FP’s face as he listened attentively to the foursomes inner conversation, picking up on the inside jokes and innuendos they all shared.“Good luck? Why d’you need good luck?”

“Oh no reason, just that she is the worst study buddy you could ever have.” Sierra revealed. 

School and academics had never been Alice’s strong suit or piqued her interest in any way, and she had no problem making her lack of regard abundantly clear. There were some subjects she found pleasure in such as Social studies & English Literature, but the whole system of mandatory education? It was a non factor to her, and always had been, especially growing up in an environment where she and her peers were practically told they’d never achieve, succeed or amount to anything. 

“Oh really?” FP mused with with his ever so handsome mischievous grin and arched brow.

Alice shared the same gleam of mischief as their eyes locker briefly, twisting her glossed lips to hide her embarrassed smirk. 

“Yep! Looks like you two are more alike than you think!” Fred remarked offhandedly. 

The groups warm and laughable moment was abruptly put to a halt as Hiram came barrelling in like a force to be reckoned with, and his brain dead minions Marty and Clifford following behind him.

The girly giggle from Hermione slowly began to fade as she set her cocoa brown orbs on her scowling boyfriend storming towards her and her friends.

“Babe? What’s wrong?” She wondered worryingly, taking a hold of his hand as he stared blankly at an oblivious Alice, relaxing his clenched jaw as he felt his girlfriend touch against his palm. 

“My old man’s car got stolen over the weekend.” Hiram announced in frustration, forcing the group to glance in surprise.

“What?!” She yelped in disbelief.

“Oh no. The other three are gonna be so lonely.” Fred uttered under his breath, fortunately only being heard by Sierra sat on his left. 

“Man. That’s rough dude.” FP expressed in faux concern, the rest of his peers totally clueless to the fact that he was the culprit in question, and it amazed him how he was able to keep his cool. Turns out he was a better liar than he thought.

“What did the police say?” Hermione pressured him to reveal.

“Same old shit.” Hiram spat. “Fill out a report, keep an eye out, but that doesn’t matter, we all know who did it, the usual Southside scum.” He concluded acidly, but not without earning a disgust filled eye roll from Alice.

“Oh here we go with this bullshit again.” She bitterly hissed, uncrossing her legs and sitting forward, preparing to give him a well deserved ear lashing and piece of her mind. His whole demeanour and energy the second he entered the room had already set her off and sparked a fire under her stokes, and now she was about to subject herself to subtle insults from him too. Not on her watch, especially coming from him.

Quite frankly, the North sides ongoing war on the Southside and constant disrespect and lack of regard for her neighbourhood had pissed her off for long enough, and she had too much Southside pride to let the constant degrading and disavowing slide. 

And all because they didn’t have the most prestigious jobs, or the luxurious houses or the fanciest cars, they were seen as less than and blamed for everything wrong in town, constantly judged and unfairly scrutinised. The Blossoms could gossip all the live long day about the neighbourhoods ‘broken families’ and ‘bastard children’ but God forbid anybody brings up the rumoured incest in their bloodline, and the Lodges could berate Southsiders for claiming welfare and “stealing” from hard working tax payers, but meanwhile, their family has a penchant for embezzlement.

“Don’t even defend those damn thugs Alice." Hiram bitterly retorts, condescendingly narrowing his eyes. "There’s way more drugs and crime-“

“You mean the drugs sold primarily to Northside crackheads, like your Mom?” Alice remarked wittingly, curling the corner of her lip upwards. “We all know she pops oxy like they’re M&M’s.”

The unexpectency and brutalism of Alice's savage response left the whole group gasping in astonishment and bellowing and cheering out oooh like sounds expressing the humour they found in the comment, all except Hermione, whose chocolate brown eyes widened in disbelief before glancing back and forth between her humilated boyfriend and reckless best friend. 

Hiram snapped out of his moment of madness, transfroming his reddened and tense face into a firm and straightlaced frown, lowering himself to Alice's level and getting right into her face, reluctant to allow the likes of "Southside scum" like her, get one up on him, regardless of how true or untrue the statement on his Mother's pill usage was.

“I'm not gonna dignify your childish tales." He acidly spat in her pretty yet smug face. "If you know or see anything-"

“You want us to snitch?!" A stunned Alice shrilled raising her brows, followed by a brief giggle. "No fucking way.”

Snitching may have been the law of the playground on the Northside, or any other run of the mill suburb in American, but where she was from, it was unthinkable, and the quickest was to sign your death certificate. Snitching or even the idea of engaging with law enforcement, or the pigs, as Alice referred to them, was the ultimate act of disloyalty and betrayal. Riverdale Police department was often known for their extreme policing and unfair and biased treatment of Sothsiders, so years ago, it became an unwritten rule throughout the neighbourhood for everybody to just mind their business and let their business mind them.

“We’ll keep an eye out.” FP casually assured Hiram, disturbing Alice and her train of thought in the process. Did she hear that right?

“No, we won’t.” 

“Alice, would you just hear him out? Please?” Hermione pleaded, beginning to grow frustrated by their childish like bickering. 

“We’ll let you know dude.” FP kindly informed Hiram one last time, offering a respective but disingenuous smirk and head nod of support, in 

“Cool.” Hiram stated, not so cool like. “As long as we have an understanding. Keep me posted.” He added before turning on his heel and leaving, unaware of the awkward atmosphere he had caused in the process. 

"What the fuck was that?" Alice hissed, staring him down with her gaping ice blue eyes.“Southsiders don’t snitch FP.”

FP scoffed at her naivety, shaking head as he ran his tongue over his top teeth. “Ya think I give a shit about that prick? Just wanted him to give him false hope after he got all in your face.”

“Wow, my hero.” Alice states sarcastically.

“You’re welcome.” FP responded in a husky tone with an arched brow and a sexy wink as he loosely chewed down on his gum.


	11. Busted

“So, what are the three branches of Government, and what are their main objectives?” Sierra questioned a very unfocused Alice as the two sat peacefully and comfortably on her plush polyester satin bed, relaxing into the wall surrounded by textbooks. Alice however, had no interest in keeping up on her political class notes, and occupied her time with a nail file and buffer. 

“I’m sorry, what?!” Alice asked in disorientation, her long thick lashes flicking upwards and fluttering as she looked Sierra’s way as she tapped the scratchy file rhythmically over her knuckles.

“Seriously, Alice?” Sierra tut in irritation with furrowed brows, tempted to snatch the nail equipment from the blonde right away. “How do you expect to get through life without basic skills, listening?"

“I have skills.” She childishly retorted with a pout lip.

“And once the legalisation of sex work comes into full effect, you can actually make money from said skills, until then, you’re gonna have to study like the rest of us."

Alice rolled her eyes skyward, sighing and huffing deeply before begrudgingly throwing the nail file aside and leaning her head closer into the textbook in Sierra’s hand.

“Why are you even doing US Government if you clearly don’t like it?”

Alice offered a meaningless shrug, pondering on her impulsive academic decision for a second. “I don’t know. Sounded interesting on paper I guess.”

“Oh. I just figured you were interested in Law and Politics.” Sierra added inquisitively, scribbling notes down in her study book.

“Ha!” Alice belt out with a chuckle, finding the very idea ridiculous. “As if! Can you really picture me defending the law?”

“So what do you wanna do after you graduate?”

“I don’t know. Never really thought about it, cross that bridge when I get to it I guess.” She revealed nonchalantly with a calming smile. Little did Sierra know, Alice knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life after high school and what she wanted to get out of it, but that was a secret she was nowhere ready to disclose as of yet. 

The entrance of a slightly panicked Penny abruptly interrupted Alice and Sierra’s conversation and drew their attention to the door.

“What’s wrong with you?” Alice questioned in a higher voice as her eyes fell onto her nerve wracked sibling. 

The innocent thirteen year old stood tense, her big blue laced with worry eyes darting back and forth between her elder sister and her frail and fiddling fingers.

“It’s Mom and Dad.” She whimpered out, stroking a strand of her messy dark blonde locks behind her ear. 

“They’re always fighting Pen.” Alice callously dismissed, releasing a sigh of boredom as she flipped through her textbook. “Don’t sweat it.”

“But it’s not like other times!” The younger Smith sister blubbered in a higher tone, rigorously shaking her head as she plead with with her sister to listen seriously. “Mom’s really pissed, I’ve never seen her this mad.”

Alice remained disregarding of the whole matter, until the sound of a bellowing glass like crash and Alicia screaming aggressively was heard in the living room.

Alarmed by the commotion, Penny, Alice and Sierra all made a beeline for the living room, stunned to see Alice’s parents in a very volatile argument.

“You’re such a piece of shit!” Alicia roars out, her expression filled with gripping fury as she slammed the television remote unapologetically onto the hardwood floors, forcing Pete to spring up from his chair without missing a beat.

“Mom, what the hell is going on?!”

A flustered and distressed Alicia quickly turned to the sound of her daughter, embarrassment flooding through her body as she set eyes on the three puzzles girls, her humiliation rising as she noticed Alice’s company. 

“Nothing, it’s just- now’s not a time to have guests. I’m sorry Sierra, you’re gonna have to leave.” Alicia demanded bitterly. “We’re dealing with a family issue, right now.”

“Of course.” A timid and uncomfortable Sierra croaked before collecting her belongings from the front door. “I’ll see you later, Miss Smith.”

“I’ll walk you out.” Alice grumbled under her breath apologetically as she stepped outside.

“Is everything’s okay?” Sierra asked in concern as she strolled to her car with Alice on her tail. “That sounded pretty heated.”

“Yeah.” Alice stares blankly, folding her arms over her chest to close off from her. “Just a regular Tuesday in this trailer. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Alice watched on as Sierra entered her car and disappeared around the corner, turning on her heel to re-enter her motor home and mentally preparing to be directly in the middle of her Mother and Stepfather’s screaming match before the sight of a familiar black car parked outside of FP’s porch, the man himself and a burly unpleasant looking bearded gang member, seemingly and discreetly exchanging cash with FP in the shiftiest way possible, before making a gesturing nod that FP reciprocated and entering the vehicle, driving away faster than the speed of light itself.

“Son of a bitch.” She hissed in astonishment with a glimmer of a cheeky smirk across her face, genuinely stunned by his stunt.

Of course. Of course he stole Hiram’s Father’s ride, no wonder he was so call about it earlier in school.

As he titled his head upwards from counting and shuffling the abundance of cash in his hands with such enthusiasm, he was met with the snarling blonde beauty, and the fitting gotcha expression that donned her face as she stood with a poking hip and folded arms over her busty chest.

“Busted!” FP cheekily joked with his famously sexy smug grin, poking the edge of his tongue through his teeth before before chuckling. 

“So what now? You gonna tell Hiram? Thought Southsiders didn’t snitch?”

“No, I’ll keep my mouth shut.” She assured him, tilting her head to the side as she sized him up. “Long as you cut me in.”

FP mischievously curled his tightened and smug lip upward, humbly turning his head to the side. “I’m not giving you a dime!” He sassed with a chuckle before entering his home.

•••

She couldn’t sleep, the tossing and turning and discomfort proving to be victorious in her little battle, and it didn’t help that the sounds of sirens and expressive drunks and crackheads were rampant and at an all time high tonight of all nights. 

She weakly opened up her big blue eyes, fluttering her long lashes as her they adjusted to the dark surroundings, abruptly rising from the comfort of her mattress and proceeding quietly to the door, careful not to wake a fast asleep Penny.

She was too wrapped up in her own world as she entered the kitchen and made her way to the fridge to retrieve a can of soda, that it completely blindsided her that she wasn’t alone.

Her pretty sapphire orbs bulged open at the sight of her Mother, sat wide awake at the dining room table with tears slowly falling down her broken face as she was surrounded by masses of documents, letters and papers that looked to be important, some even appearing to hold giant red badges in the corner. 

“Mom?” Alice gasped out in worry, earning her mother’s attention immediately.

“Ali?” Alicia sniffed, her head snapping up in surprise to look her daughter in the eye before quickly wiping her eyes with the edge of her wool sleeve and trying to mask her upset by any means necessary.

“What’s wrong?” Alice questioned as she approached her.

“It’s nothing baby.” Alicia coldly dismissed as she attempted to gather and clear the papers together into one section. “Don’t worry about it.”

“So you’re sitting here crying over nothing?”

“Go to bed, Alice.” Alicia practically roared. “I won’t ask you again!”

She was taken aback by her Mother’s sudden anger outburst, the look of desperation that she tried to effortlessly to disguise startling the young blonde as she had never seen Alicia in this state for as long as she could remember, but Alice wasn’t one to give into demands so easily, and without missing a beat, she snatched the document Alicia held in her hand, pure devastation overtaking her as she read the words, “FINAL DEMAND” right there; big, bold, black and white.

“Give that back!” Alicia pleaded as she fiercely stood from her seat, trying to take the letter from her daughters grasp, but failing miserably as the two practically fought for ownership of it.

Once out of her Mother’s way, Alice finally turned to face her, gazing at her defeated expression with such fear and fret rushing through her body.

“What the hell is going on?” Alice sadly spat as she sat down in the second available chair, her focus remaining strong on her mother.

“I uh-“ Alicia stammered, her glistening eyes moving skyward as she tried to control the flood building up. “I’m deep, in debt.” She finally revealed, releasing a shallow breath as Alice’s heart dropped. 

“Are you serious? That’s what you were fighting about? I know we’re broke, but- you’ve always been careful.”

“This isn’t a missed bill or overdue rent Ali.” Alicia tearfully explained. “There was always one thing after another, Penny’s broken arm, getting a new water heater, fixing the car, the salon’s been losing clients. And I just thought, okay, a loan from the bank and I’ll pay it back little by little, but everything just kept piling up and-“

“And all the while, Pete’s sat on his lazy ass, not doing shit.” Alice quietly seethed as she turned away. “Are we gonna lose the trailer?”

Six words Alice thought she’d never say.

“I wish I could say no, but I don’t know.” Alicia gasped out before slowly breaking down. “I really don’t know.”


	12. Winter Blues

Winter had descended onto the town: The one time of the year where the creepy and desolate aesthetic that Riverdale gave off was actually very fitting, especially with the frail leafless trees, the Misty sky, the frosty pavements and dreary grey atmosphere. 

The day also happened to be the day of the annual Riverdale fair, celebrating the towns inception and history. While citizens were baking pies and prepping fairground grounds and entertainment stalls ready to set up at Pickens Park, the only concern that plagued Alice’s mind as she stared absentmindedly out the mist and ice covered window by the kitchen sink helping Alicia with the dishes, was the unexpected news of her Mother’s financial situation.

She had barely slept, barely ate and barely focused on anything more, and the worry of not knowing what was going to happen her family ate away at viciously.

"You get any sleep last night?" Alicia wondered, snapping Alice out of her thoughts.

"Not much."

Alicia may not had graduated high school, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out what was going on in her daughters head, and it was written all over her taut but pretty make up free face. 

"Baby-“ Alicia began, soft but stern. “I don't want you worrying-"

"I’m about to be homeless, because my Mom’s boyfriend won't get a job to support his family, of course I’m worrying!” Alice furiously burst out, slamming a plate down onto dish rack as she did. “Where is that lazy twit anyway?”

"The Wyrm. First thing this morning." Alicia answers in a disappointing hiss. 

"Of course." Alice chuckled condescendingly. Typical Pete she thought. Trust him to run to the local bar when real life bites him in the ass.

"I know you’re angry, but this attitude isn’t gonna cut it.” Alicia firmly stated, throwing a dish cloth down onto the surface before facing her sulking daughter. 

“I will, handle this Ali, okay? Have I ever let you girls down?” She rhetorically added, her answer speaking volumes in Alice’s silence and understanding look.

“Fine.” The young blonde reluctantly accepted with a tight lip. It was in fact, far from fine, but she knew how stubborn her Mother was, and deep down, she knew there was likely no getting out of this on her Mother’s part, and as usual she would have to sit idly by while chaos occurred, which always lead to her destructive and manic outbursts. 

"Can I go?” She bluntly asked, already placing the plates and dishcloth down and preparing to leave regardless of whether her Mom gave her permission or not. “Because I said I’d meet Hal.”

“Sure. I’ll see you later on."

And with that, Alice made a beeline for the front door, grabbing her baseball jacket from the coat rack and rushing out, thankful for the breath of fresh air she was able to inhale as soon as she braved the chilling temperature, but more importantly, she was grateful to be out of the house. Her only concern was forgetting about her family’s financial snag by any means necessary.

•••

Besides alcohol and marijuana, sex was always the best distraction for her when life was taking an unexpected U-turn, and the second she had turned up at Hal’s, she acted on that habit and getting that fulfilment immediately, practically jumping his bones the second he opened the front door, much to his pleasure. 

And for the 10 minutes it lasted, it sure did feel thrilling and liberating, and she basked in that brief pleasure happily, forgetting about her Mother going broke for just a moment, but it could only last so long, and now down from her high and back to reality, she was laying lonely against his headboard as the shower in his en suite bathroom ran, the negative thoughts raving through her mind as she pensively stared at the wall. 

She was far too distracted to notice a dripping wet Hal with a towel wrapped around his wide tank like body and the abundance of steam slowly emerging from the bathroom.

“Well that was, unexpected.” He suggestively declared, running his hand through wet hair.

"I need, to borrow some money." Alice suddenly blurt out, not caring for his jibe like comment at all. 

"Sure. How much?"

She pulled her lips inward, sucking her cheeks in before poking her tongue through the corner of her mouth. "$10,000." 

Hal abruptly turned his head to face her, his thick untrimmed brows raising into his hairline as his lips parted in alarm. “As in, dollars?” He rhetorically added before scoffing. “You been hitting the pipe like the rest of the girls in your neighbourhood?”

“You can swing it!” She encouraged in a plea, so desperate in that moment that she didn’t even care he’d insulted her neighbourhood, once again. “That’s chump change for you.” 

“Wait-“ He aggressively halted with a raised hand. “Is that why you came here practically ga

“What, no!” Alice disputed. “Don’t be a jackass.”

“Well what the hell am I supposed to think?” Hal argued back as he vigorously pulled his shirt over his head. 

The disapproved expression that crossed Hal’s features sent her a clear message that she wasn’t going to get what she wanted from him, and even approaching him with the suggestion was ridiculous, but desperate times called for desperate measures, and she’d do anything for the people she loved. Even if it meant swallowing her pride, but not at the cost of being looked down upon. 

“You know what?” She scoffed condescendingly as she threw the duvet back and scooted herself out of the bed, pulling her V neck button vest over her body in record time. “Forget I even asked. It is too much.” She settled, reaching for her thigh thigh leather boots and pulling them over her legs.

Hal watched attentively as she zipped up her boots and buttoned up her denim skirt, before standing to reach for her baby blue baseball jacket, a twinge of guilt hitting him as he saw her disappointment. 

“Look, I’m sorry. It’s just-“

“Save it!” She dismisses before strolling to the door. “You gonna give me a ride home or what?”

Once dressed, the two of them marched down the steps anxiously, only to be met by a fiercely displeased appearing Caroline at the bottom. Her pale blue eyes shot a narrow glare Alice’s way.

“The two of you off somewhere?” Caroline nonchalantly enquired, not actually caring either way and wanting Alice out of her home, feeling even more and more inclined to throw the young girl out physically especially as she stared her down with a devious arched brow and mischievous flick of the corner of her mouth. 

It was no secret that Caroline hated her guts, but she’d never do anything about it in Hal’s presence, Alice always took it upon herself to get deep under the cold hearted cows ageing skin, provoking her by any means, just to test her patience and raise her anger level.

“Just gonna give Alice a ride-“

“On second thoughts, I think I’ll stay for lunch.” Alice innocently suggested, smiling wide between Hal and his mother. “You don’t mind, do you Carol?”

“My name, is Caroline.” She sternly corrected. “And it’s Mrs Cooper, to you.”

“I don’t care.” Alice mumbles carelessly walking to the kitchen and following the enriching smell of fresh salmon.

“Even at the peak of winter, she’s dressing like a hooker.” Caroline bitterly scolds with a sour face, unaware that Alice heard every word. And this was one foul comment that she wasn’t going to rise above from either.


	13. A Crazy Ride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ⚠️ This chapter contains drug use and physical assault. Reader discretion is advised

Evening had finally peaked in the town with Pep. The Twilight Drive in was deserted, Pops Diner was a ghost town and all other leisure establishments were uninhabited, as the townsfolk had all emerged to celebrate and participate in the annual fair in name of the towns founding and establishment.

Bright burning circus lights, the animated fairground music, thrilling amusement rides, food stalls, game concession stands, the smell of fresh cotton Candy, the laughter and chatter of carnival goers? Who would want to be anywhere else in town tonight? There was always just something naturally chaotic about fairgrounds and carnivals. 

They were a cesspool for adventure, sensation, thrills and experiencing the unknown and unexpected, forcing yourself to face challenges you wouldn’t anywhere else.

To the adults of the town, tonight was yet another annual celebration of the town’s establishment, but for the teens of Riverdale High? It was a night of ultimate thrill seeking and angst packed action featuring drugs, sex and alcohol. 

•••

The ear ringing noise that blared from the high striker machine as Hiram once again failed to hit the limit with the mallet provided hit his fragile ego and masculinity even harder each time, and the third time unfortunately wasn’t lucky.

Hermione stood leaning against the pillar holding up the roof, trying to shift weight off of her aching feet that were currently being squeezed by her signature Manolo Blahnik pumps, silently cursing at herself for picking the wrong shoes to wear as she stared Hiram down in second hand embarrassment.

“Just give up already.” She innocently chuckled. “You can win me a bear another way.”

“Your girl’s right dude.” The lanky and scrawny bearded concession stand worker nonchalantly agreed, earning a death glare from the disgruntled Football player.

“My Dad signs your cheap ass cheques. I wouldn’t be laughing if I were you.” Hiram sneered as he tightened his grip around mallet, preparing for one last hit.

Inhaling a thick breath and tightening his mischievous lip intensely, forcing so much facades of focus into his actions, he gripped the hard wooden mallet and slammed it down onto the target with struggle, but his efforts turned out to be worth it, as he scored the lowest eligible score, proud that his ‘masculinity and insecurity’, albeit fragile, proved to still be in tact.

Hermione bared her newly pearly whitened teeth at his win, giving him a little clap as the concession worker handed him a giant fluffy royal purple teddy bear for his prize, well hers.

“This is too cute.” Hermione complimented with bright smile as she took the bear in hand and locked arms with Hiram, as he lead the two of them away towards the next amusement.

“Told you I’d get it eventually didn’t I?” He smugly bragged as the two waded through the actives crowds and passerby’s, feeling the warm fair ground lights on their skin and hearing the laughter and excitement of everybody around before the questioning rowdiness of a group of familiar jocks, all displaying enthusiasm when they came face to face with Hiram.

The second his fellow Bulldogs were in proximity, the reason behind their overzealous behaviour became very evident in the alcoholic odour they brought along with, making Hermione close herself off in discomfort.

“Ram the man!” Marty Mantle cheered out in a slurred tone, playfully shoving Hiram’s shoulder in the process, the rest of his crew following suit as Hiram happily embraced them with fist bumps and hand clasps. It was a little too much testosterone for Hermione to handle personally. 

“Christ, how much have you guys had?” Hermione calmly scolded, glaring at them all over her boyfriends shoulder.

“Oh shit! Hermione!” The drunk teen pointed out upon noticing her stood awkwardly behind Hiram, trying to keep his balance. 

She was confused by his puzzled reaction, until his narrow lips curled up into a pleases smirk.

“So it worked huh? You finally got lucky then? Swiped your V cards?” Marty asked suggestively with a troublesome nod. “Told you she wouldn’t resist the fair. Chicks dig this place! Instant panty dropper!”

Hiram gaped his eyes at Marty’s crass reveal of his true intentions, his cheeks flushing a bright red colour on the spot as he silently cursed his so called friend. 

Hermione’s face contorted to pure shock, followed by mild disgust as she parted her gloss filled lips and bared her pearly white teeth, slowly turning to find her boyfriend’s guilty as sin expression clouded with embarrassment, ready to demand answers.

“Is that why you asked me here for a date?”

He briefly opened his mouth, preparing to speak, darting his shifty eyes back and forth pleading for a way out before finally facing the music. “You- well you were coming anyway.”

“Yeah, with Alice.” She corrects him with a stern arched brow. “But since my boyfriend asked me instead, with promises of a great date night, I turned her down. Turns out, the only thing he wanted to take out tonight was his dick! How stupid of me.” She snapped sarcastically before storming off, mentally kicking herself for believing Hiram’s faux sincerity once again.

It frustrated her to no end how unbelievably dismissive he was was about her decision to wait until she was ready and how pushy he came to be when it regarded going all the way in their relationship.

“God damn it, Hermione! Just let me explain!” Hiram pleaded yelling out towards her.

“Just screw off!” She retorted before disappearing into the crowds.

“You fucking dipshit!” Hiram spat as he aggressively pushed Marty against a pillar, earning sounds of concern from the rest of the football team. 

Hermione wasn’t sure how long she’d been walking for or exactly where she was looking to go. Finding Alice and possibly Fred, or heck any of her friends was the aim, but given that none of them had cellphones for her to call them on to just ask for their whereabouts, she had to do things the old fashion way and improvise. 

First with the arcade machines, then the chilli stand followed by the Ferris wheel, until she finally found them. Alice, Mary, Sierra and Fred stood there looking discreet and immersed in conversation behind the bumper cars.

“Finally got away from lover boy then?” Mary sneered with a smirk, earning an eye roll from Hermione as she approached them all.

“I know that look. What’s he done?” Alice queried as she took a long drag on her almost finished cigarette before flicking the little spark onto the ground and exhaling the co2 from her lungs up into the air. 

The slight implication that Hiram had upset Hermione set off Fred’s protective button instantaneously.

“Has he hurt you-“

“No. Of course not.” Hermione inhaled a sigh, before exhaling an exaggerated huff and folding her arms over her chest. The less she heard about Hiram, the better. “Look, I don’t wanna talk about it. Where’s FP? I thought you guys came together?”

“He went to look for the bathrooms, but that was like 15 minutes ago, so your guess is as good as mine.” Fred explained.

“What are you all doing back here anyway?”

A devious and plotting grin graced Alice face as she suggestively darted her eyes between all four of her pairs, reaching into the inner pocket of her jacket and revealing a small clear bag, of which it’s contents included a sum of little pills.

“What are those?” Sierra questioned as the whole groups eyes widened. 

“PCP.” Alice bluntly announced. “Scored them off Blossom. They supposed to make you see weird shit and like you’re floating on clouds. And by the look of things, we’re all in dire need of that, so who wants some?”

•••

Of course, FP had no intention or interest in the lavatory facilities that the fair donors had to offer and had other reasons for dispersing from the group.

A major event bringing the townsfolk together + a packed car park = walking goldmine and an easy buck. He wasn’t here for cotton candy and Ferris wheel rides, he was here to make money and nothing more, and he was going to take full advantage of it no questions asked. 

As he came down from his ecstatic high from the presence of all the prestigious cars that surrounded him, he felt the vibrations of his new state of the art cellphone ringing in the corner of his leather jacket, pulling it out and answering brashly. 

“Malachai?” FP greeted through the phone, his straight face curling up into a mischievous smirk when he heard the Serpent deputy on the other line.

“What have ya got bro?”

“A fucking goldmine.” FP salivated as he glanced around the dark and misty parking lot admiring the luxurious cars that sat before him, including a few select porches, BMW’s, Mercedes, no doubt all belonging to the towns elite. “How many d’ya want?”

“At least four.” Malachai grunted through the phone. “Might need a Gray Mercedes too. Bosses orders.”

“Okay. Cool. Meet me round the back of Pickens park, near the pond. One hour, we’ll shift ‘em.” FP boldly delegated, feeling proud of himself that he was now at a stage in his criminal activity where we was calling the shots and taking a more dominant position. 

Malachai agreed with FP’s terms, allowing FP to finally end the call with a devious cackle. He fiddled with his device, the pride filled gleam still present on his face until he turned around and was stunned to see a glassy eyed dumbfounded looking Fred stood behind him.

His soft pink lips were naively parted, his moss green eyes wide like saucers as he blinked abnormally aggressive and calmly paced, standing before him looking utterly bewildered. 

“Who ya meeting?” Fred innocently asked, his shifty dazed out eyes now fixed onto FP’s cellphone.

“A friend.” FP answered nonchalantly, now weary of Fred as he may have heard his entire conversation. “You okay dude?”

Another strong blink came from Fred as he naively opened up his mouth. “Yeah! Right as rain!” Fred ecstatically gasped out. For FP, there was no question he was completely out of it. 

Fred pointed a slightly stern finger at FP’s cellular. “Is that new?” 

“Yeah, second hand.” FP lied before quickly changing the subject. “What did you take? Shrooms? E?”

“PCP.” Fred answered all jittery. “Well at least that’s what Alice said it was.”

A shameless giggle left FP’s lips as he watched his best friend nervously bounce up and down. He’d seen people tweak out over drugs before, but none of them were as comical as Fred.

“Let’s get you back to the fair buddy.” FP gently took his intoxicated pal by the arm, and carefully lead him back to the main entrance, thanking his lucky stars that Fred seemed to be completely oblivious to the car theft deal he had just planned out. 

•••

The PCP wasn’t having a superior effect on Alice the way it was with everyone else. While everyone else was just hallucinating, having panic attacks and exhibiting uncontrollable behaviour, for Alice, it was merely enhancing her impulsive and unapologetic ways, and the bottle of Vodka she had swiped from the Wyrm earlier that evening combined with the pills racing through her bloodstream, triggering every nerve and vein, emotions ran high.

She was still in a rage over Hal’s mother’s comments and his failure to defend her, and she was adamant she wasn’t going to let it slide without giving Carolyn a good word lashing, and she wasn’t leaving this fair without doing so. 

She wandered around the fairground with a bottle in hand, taking in the noise and lights that filled the atmosphere, before finally coming across the Cooper family pie stall, watching as fair goers salivated in in their presence and the haughty attitude of the four of them making her stomach turn.

A fierce expression set on her face before she wiped the strong liquid from her lips and shoved through the crowd, dropping the bottle abruptly and watching the glass shards scatter before staring back and coming face to face with Caroline and Hal.

“Round up everybody! Hookers here!” She goaded playfully, a flicker of mischief set in her smirk as she stepped closer to the stand, watching Hal’s parents mouths drop in astonishment and disgust.

“I mean, that’s what you said right? That I dress like a hooker?”

“Alice, what the hell are you doing?” Hal scoffed irritably, but he was taken aback when she aggressively flipped the pie tray over, causing the deserts to drop to the floor. 

“What the hell is your problem?!” Caroline roared.

“You, CUNT!” Alice unapologetically spat, raising her perfectly shaped eyebrows into her forehead as she stared the older woman down, waiting for a reaction, but before she could do any more damage, she felt familiar sweaty and burly hand dragging her away. 

“Get the fuck off me Hal!” Alice demanded, roughly removing herself from his grasp, turning to his humiliated face and glaring at him with fury.

“What the fuck was that about?!”

“Payback.” She taunted with a sexy snicker, curling her lip into the corner before folding her arms over her barely covered chest. “And tell your cunt of a Mother there’s more where that came from if she ever, calls me out of my name again.” 

And with that, she proudly sauntered off towards the exit. As far as she was concerned, her work here was done.

“Mom, I’m so sorry-“

“Save it, Harold!” Caroline sniped, raising her hand in a halting gesture towards him, making her discontent known. 

“Oh my.” The redhead spoke as she approached the family, glancing around at the mess scattered around the floor. “What happened here?”

“Ah, Penelope!” Caroline chirped with a slight huff. “Always nice to see a pleasant face. Oh, and Alice Smith, happened.” Caroline scolded. 

“That girl is just a walking disaster.” Penelope jibed. “Here and in school.”

“Her kind always are. Common Southside scum like her don’t know any better, and never will. With their gangs, and drugs and bastard children spouting up every where. She’s a product of her environment.” Caroline insulted recklessly. Her classist and snobby attitude knew no bounds. 

“Hi Hal.” Penelope greeted with faux sweetness, literally watching the rage rise up within him and steam blow from his ears, knowing he didn’t want her there on account of their little, secret.

“Did you want something?” Hal rudely bellowed, tightening his lips as he glared at her with narrow eyes. “This isn’t a damn confessional.”

“Don’t be so rude Harold!”

“No, no. He’s right.” Penelope defended, slowly beginning to back away from the stall. “Besides, I only came over to see what the commotion was all about. Have a nice evening Mrs Cooper.” She spoke in a faux sweet tone, cornering her eye towards Hal before turning around.

“Say hi to your Mother for me dear!” Caroline called out, before returning to serving customers. 

“I’m going on break.” Hal grumbled quietly with a clenched jaw as he watched Penelope disappear in the crowd, adamant to catch up with her.

He hopped over the counter not even bothering to make use of the accessible gate and briskly walked towards the main exit where Penelope seemed to be heading, tactlessly pushing fair goers out of his path as he stormed after her, finally catching her by the corn dog stall and grabbing her by the forearm, pulling her around the isolated corner.

“Hal-“ Penelope shrieked as he roughly pulled her along with him, trying to remove her arm from his tight grasp. “Let go, you’re hurting me!”

“With pleasure!” He growled before shoving her into the back of a trailer, standing dangerously close to her and domineering her as she recoiled against the motor home in slight fear. “I thought I told you to stay the hell away from me!”

“What am I supposed to do? You won’t answer my calls!”

“Perhaps takes a damn hint?” Hal rudely and rhetorically suggested

“So I’m supposed to handle this on my own?! It takes two to tango.”

“Well you said you were on the pill, so as far as I’m concerned, yeah. It’s your problem.”

“It’s not just up to the girls you know!” Penelope argued furiously. 

“What else do you want me to say? What? You need money from me to get rid of it?”

Penelope stammered, her expression filled with shock and disgust as those callous and insensitive words left his mouth. “I’m not getting rid of it.” Of course she wasn’t expecting a passion filled declaration of love from him and immediate support, but she at least thought he wouldn’t be inconsiderate over the situation, and he had no right to tell her what to do with her body. 

“What?” He practically bellowed. 

“You heard me.” Penelope stated with conviction, her eye boring right through his soul as she fought her case. “And you either take responsibility for this or I tell your precious trailer trash barbie what you were really doing when-“

In an instant, Hal’s seedy blue grey eyes flashed with uncontrollable rage before impulsively wrapping his hand around her neck and shoving her head into the back of the trailer to intimidate her. As panic struck as she was, he still remained unapologetic about his aggressive behaviour, breathing shallowly before he continued to speak. 

“Now you listen to me. You breathe a word about us to Alice, it’ll be the last breath you take.” He warned menacingly, baring his barely white teeth as his sinister presence remained. “You understand?”

All Penelope could muster up was stiff but terror filled nod, before he brashly let go, he watched her shaken frame gasp for air before reaching up and holding her neck, ignoring the tears that fell from her eyes.

Hal reached into his back pocket, unveiling his wallet and reaching inside to reveal a hundred dollar bill, carelessly discarding the currency in her face roughly.

“Get rid of it!” He spat, before storming away into the dark of the night. 

•••

The chilling winter air had finally got the best of Alice as she found herself hunched over by the parking lot fence, tightening her baseball jacket around her body and constantly flicking her lighter well after she had consumed her last cigarette in the box, just to keep herself as warm as possible. 

Given the unpleasant low she found herself on, and feeling just how freezing the weather was, it was safe to say the buzz from the vodka and PCP combination had gradually worn off, and she was back to shitty square one. 

The drugs and booze were intentionally an escape from the crushing thoughts and worries of her Mothers financial struggles, but of course, the euphoria of it all only lasted a limited amount of time, and now she actually had to deal with the issue.

As she pulled her hood over her blonde mane and tucked the loose strands out of her face and behind her ear, her new vision of focus at the corner of her eye lead her to come across a very smug FP, engaging in his secret extra curricular activities that only she knew of and exchanging a large sum of cash with a camila or gang member from their neighbourhood, before the corner haired leather clad guy hopped into a Mercedes Benz and drove off.

And just like that, a gleaming lightbulb appeared above her pretty head, and it was almost as if fate had brought her back here to stumble upon this.

She switched the flicker of her lighter, placing it in her pocket before quickly sauntering off to the other side of the car park to meet him, the sounds on her heels clearly got his attention as he swiftly turned in her heel with that ever so charming yet mischievous smirk set on his face. 

“Can’t stay away from me long enough, huh-“

“Cut the crap.” Alice bluntly interrupted, glancing around their surroundings to make they were alone. “I want in.”

He knit his brows in slight confusion. “Want in on what?”

“The cars, the cash. All of it.”

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: So, there you have it. The very first chapter of what I like to call the ultimate Parentdale fic. Lots more craziness is planned, I promise, and we’ll meet the girls in the next chapter. Please comment and let me know what you think.


End file.
